Hingham High School Boilers on “Life Support”
East Elementary Battles Leaks as District Seeks Cash Infusion
HINGHAM - January 12, 2026 - Failing infrastructure took center stage Monday night as the School Committee confronted “catastrophic” risks to the High School’s heating system and persistent water intrusion at East Elementary. The revelations prompted officials to approve a warrant article doubling the district’s emergency repair fund to $1 million, while administrators admitted that custodians are currently checking the High School’s 27-year-old boilers every two hours to prevent a total shutdown.
The Full Story
Director of Facilities Matt Meehan delivered a sobering assessment of the district’s physical plant, revealing that Hingham High School came dangerously close to losing heat in late October. Meehan described the school’s two massive boilers as being well past their functional life, requiring “heroic measures” to keep running.
“They found quite a lot of cracks,” Meehan said, showing photos of leaking steam and corroded valves. He explained that a failure in the main firing tube could cause combustion issues or worse. Currently, custodians are performing physical checks on the boilers every two to three hours around the clock to ensure they remain operational.
“Steam in a boiler that is not supposed to have steam can be catastrophic,” Meehan warned. While the district has applied for state funding (MSBA) to replace the system, that timeline is years away. In the interim, the district is relying on emergency repairs to limp through the winter.
Mold Scares at East Elementary The infrastructure woes extend to East Elementary, where failure of rooftop Energy Recovery Units (ERUs) led to water leaks and condensation issues inside the building. Meehan confirmed that moisture caused potential mold risks, necessitating the removal of ceiling tiles and insulation in hallways.
While Meehan presented data showing air quality remains within safe levels after remediation, the lack of real-time communication sparked backlash. Resident Kelly Newton expressed frustration that parents were not informed about the water damage when it occurred in the fall.
“I felt like my agency was taken away to make a decision for my child based on his health situation... I had no clue that that was the case.” — Kelly Newton, Resident [46:01]
Meehan apologized for the communication gap, pledging better transparency with building principals and families moving forward.
The Ask: More Money for Emergencies Citing these escalating failures, the Committee voted unanimously to place a warrant article on the Town Meeting agenda to increase the “Extraordinary Maintenance Fund” balance by $500,000, bringing the total to $1 million.
School Committee member John Mooney argued that even this increase might be too conservative given the scale of the problems.
“Why aren’t the schools asking for more? ... We keep putting band-aids [on], and he’s doing a great job, but it’s going to keep happening. I think we should make a bold statement.” — John Mooney, School Committee Member [01:27:58]
Superintendent Katie Roberts and Director of Business Aisha Oppong stood by the $500,000 request as a data-driven estimate based on current burn rates, though they acknowledged the “imperfect crystal ball” of predicting future breakdowns.
Enrollment Trends In other business, Superintendent Roberts presented the latest NESDEC enrollment study, which projects a net increase of 417 students over the next decade. The growth is driven primarily by a “migration trend” of families moving to Hingham just before their children enter kindergarten. The elementary population alone is expected to grow by 304 students by 2036, while high school enrollment will dip slightly before stabilizing.
Why It Matters
For Hingham taxpayers, the message is clear: deferred maintenance is coming due. The reliance on emergency funds to patch aging systems suggests that larger capital requests—potentially requiring debt exclusions or overrides—are inevitable. For parents, the immediate concern is student safety and the risk of school closures if critical systems like the High School boilers fail completely before replacements can be funded.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the insertion of the proposed warrant article to increase the Extraordinary Capital Fund (by $500,000).
Outcome: Passed Unanimously (6-0)
Vote: [01:33:44]
Motion: To approve updates to Policy JLCA (Physical Examinations).
Outcome: Passed Unanimously
Vote: [01:01:49]
Motion: To approve updates to Policy JLCC (Communicable Diseases).
Outcome: Passed Unanimously
Vote: [01:02:11]
Motion: To approve Policy JLCD (Administering Medicines).
Outcome: Passed Unanimously
Vote: [01:03:13]
Public Comment
Kelly Newton (Chamberlain Run): Spoke regarding the East Elementary leaks. She questioned the testing protocols and criticized the district for failing to inform parents about wet ceiling tiles and insulation for months, stating she would have kept her son home had she known. [40:45]
What’s Next
Special Meeting: The Committee scheduled a special virtual meeting for Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 8:00 PM to finalize a second warrant article regarding Special Education funding before the town’s submission deadline.
Budget Season: The FY27 Budget kickoff is scheduled for January 26, 2026.
Source Video: Harbor Media