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In December we note the most wonderful time of the year. January seems to bring the busiest time of the new year. We, as a system and as a learning community, are entering two seasons - budget and exam. There are two sections in today's Message that outline both in significant more detail.

I worked with a Middle School Principal, MA Middle School Principal of the Year to be precise, who was fond of noting that too often we fail "to look down river." What he meant was the decisions that we make today impact the trajectory and outcomes for tomorrow. As we begin the budget season in earnest, I encourage our families and the community to be fully engaged in order to be fully informed. Budgeting is an iterative process, meaning we will likely not end up where we thought when we started. Please join us tonight as we begin these very important conversations.

Looking down river also applies to our midyear exams. They signal the end of Semester One, the transition to Semester Two and provide valuable data points for us to gauge the success of our instructional program. Undoubtedly, we will make some curriculum and instruction decisions based on the information gleaned from what our students know and are able to do as a result of these assessments. Please encourage your student to take a balanced approach to exams - don't stress, get plenty of rest and do their best. This one exam is just that, one assessment of where a student is at this point in the year.

Finally, we will not have a formal Monday Message next week as we will not have classes in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday. Dr. King, Jr. said, "Everyone can be great because everybody can serve." MLK Jr. Day, Monday, January 20, 2025 is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service on which Americans are encouraged to volunteer in improving their communities. In a time where there seems to be division everywhere, I hope that Hingham families will see this as “a day on, not a day off” and commit to strengthening Hingham, our surrounding communities and our Public Schools, while bridging barriers, addressing social problems… all the while moving closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

• Buses will run on the regular morning times. Pick up is directly after the last exam at 11:15.
  
• Students do not need to come to school if they do not have an exam. If students need to take the morning bus to be here for another exam, the cafeteria will be available for quiet study.
  
• Students do not need come to school on Friday unless they have a make-up exam. AP students who have a scheduled exam on Friday 1/24 will need to report for those exams.
  
• All students are expected to take their exams at the scheduled times unless there are extenuating circumstances or an excused absence for a valid reason. Exams are not optional. We will verify all missed exams in order to ensure students are here on Friday for the make-up exam period.
  
• Teachers will notify students of the exam location and proctor. Most exams will not be in their regular classroom and not, in the majority of cases, with their classroom content teacher.
  

Following please find the upcoming schedule of public presentations regarding the FY26 school budget. All meetings will be hybrid, accessible to the public in person and via Zoom. You can find applicable Zoom Links and room locations at hinghamschools.org/page/meetings. Presentation slides will be posted to the HPS website budget page after each meeting.

A Reminder Regarding Absences....

If your child is absent, you no longer have to call the school. You will receive a message notifying you about the absence. Please call the school only if you receive this message in error.

Students from Ms. Petrie's American Political System class took a field trip to the Edward Kennedy Institute this past Tuesday, where students had the opportunity to participate in a government simulation activity. They created an election reform bill with amendments, debated it in committee, and ultimately voted to approve it in the Senate.

The woodworking classes have raced through the week with their Co2 Egg Cars Challenge. Students were tasked with designing and building a car that will carry an egg passenger at high speeds to an immovable object. Students were competing for speed as well as a safe arrival of the egg. The results from the competition are as follows.

There will be a special blackbox performance of SHUDDERSOME: TALES OF POE on Tuesday January 14th at 7:00 pm. This short play presented by Mrs. Fish's Drama class features a cast of six and two of Edgar Allen Poe's best known works. No tickets are required, but space is limited so arrive early for seating.

K-12 HPS Art will be on display at the Hingham Public Library in the lobby, children's section, and young adult/teen section throughout the month of January.

Hingham Boys Track continued their strong start to the season with an impressive 66-29 victory over Silver Lake Regional. It was an excellent night for athletes Graham Carlson in the 55m, Matt McCarthy in the 300m, Nicki Harris and Nate Antoine in the 600m, Aaron Roberts in the 1000m, Gavin Anderson in the 2 mile, and Connor Anderson and Tom Simpson in the 1 mile, who all contributed to the team's success. With this win, the boys' team moves to 2-0, building momentum as they prepare for their next meet against Whitman-Hanson.

Hingham Girls Track delivered a dominant performance with a 65-29 win over Silver Lake Regional. The team excelled in head-to-head events, with Nayah Ryan taking first in the 2-mile, Clare Lowther winning the 1000, Megan Koenan securing the 600, and Kate Walsh dominating the 300. In the 55m dash, Kate Hall, Ellie Truong, and Maddy Everett swept the podium, finishing 1-2-3. Catherine Salem added to the victory with a win in the 55m hurdles, while Adeline Lundin and Katherine Crespi recorded impressive personal records in the shot put to secure 2nd and 3rd place. Kaitlyn Truong capped off the night with a victory in the high jump, rounding out an outstanding team effort.

For full stats and detailed results, visit athletic.net. Both teams will compete next against Whitman-Hanson on January 16th at the Reggie Lewis Center.

On Saturday, our girls basketball team faced off against Hull High School at the TD Garden in the Andrew J. Lawson Foundation Invitational. The Harborwomen earned the win vs. the Lady Pirates. More importantly, this fundraiser helped to raise awareness of the importance of inclusion and unified athletics. Learn more about Andrew and the good work of the foundation here: Andrew J. Lawson Foundation

Freshmen! Submit Your Community Service Hours. As the administration reviews the pilot Community Service Hours Requirement program, your data is important. Please submit any completed service hours here: https://hhscommunityservice.org/

Interested in exploring summer science enrichment and research opportunities? Attached is a partial list of Summer Enrichment Offerings complied by our HPS Science Director, Michelle Romano. This list will be updated as new opportunities arise.

Restock the Teachers' Lounges - FULL. The Hospitality Committee's sign-up for supplies to restock the teachers' lounges was filled in record time! We will stock the lounges next week. Thank you for your generosity and for dropping off your supplies at the addresses in the sign-up.

Senior Celebrations Coming Soon...

Freshmen! Submit Your Community Service Hours. As the administration reviews the pilot Community Service Hours Requirement program, your data is important. Please submit any completed service hours here: https://hhscommunityservice.org/