5 Things You Need to Know Today: June 7

1. The Hopkinton Education Foundation deadline for the Thank-A-Teacher program is tomorrow, June 8. Here's how it works. Make a donation to the education foundation in a teacher's name, and each teacher or member of the teaching team will receive a letter from the education foundation. Download this form and send it, with your contribution, to the address on the form. The education foundation, a leading driver of innovation in Hopkinton schools, just announced $79,000 in grants for programs next year. Stay tuned.

2. Five daily trains have been added to MBTA commuter rail service on the Worcester-Boston line, which serves Hopkinton. Sort of. The additional trains have been running since early 2010. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and Gov. Deval Patrick Monday announced $100 million in upgrades to the Worcester-Boston line. The expanded train schedule is an example of things to come. There is no train station in Hopkinton but there are commuter rail stops at nearby stations on Rte. 85 in Southborough, Rte. 135 in Ashland and Rte. 30 in Westborough. Fares are here. A printable schedule is here. 

3. Friday June 10 and Saturday June 11 Enter Stage Left presents the USO Big Band Bash at the Hopkinton Senior Center, 28 Mayhew St. Tickets are $17 general admission, $13 for students, seniors and Stage Door members. Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 2 and 7:30. You know what else Enter Stage Left would like? They would like you to take this survey on what you would like to see and hear at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, which is in the planning stages right now.

4. Big Band not your style? How about Bandicoot? (Or you can mix and match—try both!) The Hopkinton High School Drama Ensemble's final fundraiser (they ur gonnae Scootlund in Augist fur th' Fringe Festival) is Saturday, June 11, (rain date June 12)  at 4 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Alliance Field, 98 Hayden Rowe St. (in front of Hopkinton High). $5 students and $10 adults. Besides Bandicoot, there's ska-band Splatter Cactus, Low Battery, 21A and singers Sasha Yachentko, Evelyn Oliver, Emma Howe and Evan Katz! There may be surprises too. Maybe.

5. By the time you read this, members of the Permanent Building Committee may have met, adjourned, had breakfast and gone to their day jobs. Their meeting was scheduled at 7:30 a.m. in town hall. The Board of Assessors, Downtown Revitalization Committee and Sustainable Green Committee meet tonight in town hall.

5a. True story since this morning is Elmwood School Lost and Found Treasure Hunt in the cafeteria from 8:30 to 10:30—Mom had a birthday party. Kids took their shoes off. Everybody went home happy. Two weeks later son mentions his shoes too tight. Somebody with the same sneakers—one size smaller—went home with his. Why did you wait two weeks to tell me this, mom says. Ma! I don't know ma!