The Hingham School Committee unanimously approved a $535,000 contract to overhaul the Hingham High School auditorium’s theatrical systems at its September 15 meeting, a project officials say will benefit the entire community. The committee also received an encouraging enrollment report indicating that student numbers have stabilized after several years of decline.

The capital-funded project will upgrade the auditorium's lights, sound, and rigging. Superintendent Dr. Margaret Adams presented the single bid from Barbazon Sandabal, requesting authorization to execute the contract. Vice Chair Michelle Ay, acting as chair for the evening, highlighted the facility's extensive use beyond school functions. While this is called a theatrical agreement, I think it should be noted that this is used at school, it's used at town meeting, dance recitals, rentals, professional development presentations, Ay said. That auditorium gets a lot of use and that sound and light quality really will be a massive improvement districtwide and communitywide I think as well.

A motion was made by A. Anderson to award the contract for site preparation and installation of the Hingham High School theatrical light, sound, and rigging improvement project and to authorize the superintendent to execute the contract on behalf of the school committee. The motion passed unanimously.

In other news, Dr. Adams presented the district's September 1 enrollment figures, which she said were "spot-on" with projections from a study commissioned last year. The data shows a large kindergarten class of 279 students and a total enrollment of 3,599, a figure expected to grow as PreK registration continues. Committee member Matt Cosman noted the significance of the trend. The numbers look pretty, I was encouraged by this just in general, Cosman said. You know, we've been for pretty much five or six years losing... but this is effectively leveled.

During public comment, resident Brian Stack asked for an enrollment breakdown between regular and special education. Committee member John Mooney clarified the district's inclusive model, stating, What special education is, is students on an IEP who receive some number of special accommodations or services but all students who are in special education get the prime most of their services through general education. So it's not really separate programs.

The district also signaled a new academic priority, with Dr. Adams identifying a pilot of a new PreK-5 elementary math curriculum as her top student learning goal for the year. For the last three years as a district we've had a laser-like focus on literacy and now it is math's turn, she explained. The committee discussed her proposed goals but tabled a final vote until its next meeting to incorporate priorities from the new Executive Director of Student Services.

The committee did formally approve its own goals for the 2025-26 school year, which Ay said were "tightened up" during a recent workshop to be more measurable. Committee member Carrie Nate requested formatting be fixed before the goals are posted online. A motion by A. Anderson to approve the school committee goals for 2025-2026 passed unanimously.

The committee also gave a second and final reading to an updated public complaint policy. Committee member Ally Anderson explained the changes included minor language updates and clarification that either the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent could handle complaints. After Tim Miller Dempsey questioned if this conflicted with union agreements, Anderson confirmed she had spoken with an administrator's union representative who was comfortable with the language. A motion by A. Anderson to approve policy K, public complaints, passed unanimously.

Additionally, the district accepted a $19,993 state grant for world language testing. World Language Director Stacy Turner reported the DESE grant will fund proficiency-based STAMP exams for students in grades 8-12. With this funding this will allow us to continue the standards-based testing via the stamp exam which we conduct, Turner said. The committee also welcomed new high school student representative Ariana Sud, who introduced herself via Zoom and promised updates at the next meeting after her first student government session.

The meeting began on a celebratory note, with Dr. Adams recounting a successful week for the district that included ribbon-cuttings for the new Foster Elementary School and the high school dock. She also announced that Hingham High School received national banner recognition from Special Olympics North America for the second consecutive year for its inclusive programming, an honor given to only 17 schools in the state.