Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation

1. The first of three finalists for Framingham Public School Superintendent will be in town today. Pentucket Regional School District Assistant Superintendent William I. Hart will tour a couple of the schools today. At 5 p.m., he will be made available to parents at an hour-long forum at Cameron Middle School. At 7:30 p.m. he will be publicly interviewed by the Framingham School Committee for about 2-hours. Following the public interview at the King Building, there will be a small reception.

The other two finalists Robert Tremblay, the Milford School Superintendent and Stacy Scott, the Dracut Superintendent of Schools will have the same schedule on Wednesday and Thursday.

2. Homeowners have until Feb. 1. at 5 p.m. to file an abatement with the Framingham Assessors. Paperwork may also be postmarked by Feb. 1.

3. January is National Tea Month. What is your favorite type of tea?

4. The Framingham Water And Sewer Utility Abatement Board will meet tonight at 100 Western Ave at 7 p.m.

5. As per the Framingham Patch election policy, all candidates running for town-wide office  are invited to submit one written announcement, with their reasons for running and their platform to Framingham Patch. It must be 500 words or less and be emailed to the editor at susan.petroni@patch.com no later than Wednesday, Feb. 1. All announcements will run no later than Saturday, Feb. 5.