Hingham School Committee Approves 10 Electric School Buses, Saving District $200,000 in First Year
HINGHAM - September 29 - The Hingham School Committee voted Monday to authorize the superintendent to sign a contract for 10 additional electric school buses, a decision that could save the district approximately $200,000 in the first year and provide long-term budget relief. The approval, however, comes with critical contingencies: securing additional state grant funding and review by town counsel.
The Full Story
The electric bus decision represents a significant shift in the district’s approach to fleet management. Just months ago, Transportation Director Padraig Cunningham expressed deep skepticism about electric buses, particularly concerns about battery range during cold weather and the possibility of buses breaking down with students aboard. However, after conducting extensive research—including site visits to Beverly and conversations with districts in Vermont, Connecticut, and Boston—Cunningham reversed his position.
“In terms of speaking to those Vermont folks where it’s even colder than us here sometimes and to those people in Connecticut, he spoke to a diesel bus maintenance mechanic about their fleet in Boston as well,” explained Executive Director of Business & Support Services Aisha Oppong. “All of the reviews that he got on those buses were excellent reviews to the point where the Vermont is a bigger school district than ours. They said that they get over 125 miles per day on the buses. Even when it returns after the charging points, they would get 50% charge back.”
The financial analysis presented to the committee shows the district would pay just $8,000 per bus in the first year—a total of $80,000 for all 10 buses—under a special arrangement with Highland Capital. This represents substantial savings compared to the approximately $280,000 the district would spend replacing diesel buses. Over seven years, the total cost would be approximately $1.7 million for the electric buses.
The approval comes as the district’s current diesel bus leases expire at the end of this school year. Without the electric bus contract, the district would need to order 22 new diesel buses. With the electric buses, Hingham would maintain 12 diesel buses and operate 13 electric buses in its 25-bus fleet.
The contract’s contingencies address two major uncertainties. First, the committee made approval dependent on receiving additional grant funding from Massachusetts. Highland Capital representatives told the district they should know within weeks whether that state funding will materialize. If it doesn’t, the financial picture becomes less attractive—roughly equal to diesel costs rather than significantly cheaper—and the committee would need to revisit the decision.
Second, federal grant funding that makes the entire project financially viable faces potential uncertainty. Committee member John Mooney raised concerns about the stability of federal funding, asking what contingency plan exists if those funds disappear after the district enters a contract. Oppong explained the timing minimizes that risk: “We will order the buses right away if we agree to move forward. We’ll order them right away. So within the next couple of weeks or so, we plan to order those buses. And once we show that we have an order in hand, we can draw down all of the funds and then move forward with it.”
The electric buses scheduled to arrive in February 2025 include infrastructure preparations already underway. Construction on charging units at the bus depot is set to begin October 13th, with completion expected by the end of October. Cunningham is traveling to Oklahoma to observe the manufacturing process and meet with maintenance personnel from other districts.
The meeting also featured presentations on school improvement plans from two elementary schools. South Elementary School Principal Tara Boening detailed a comprehensive plan focused on five overarching goals: academic excellence, healthy and inclusive community, culture of collaboration, enhanced home-school partnerships, and safety and security. The school has refined its Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) model around three guiding principles nicknamed “ABCs”: act responsibly, behave respectfully, and care for others. South has also implemented “pickup patrol” this year, significantly improving traffic flow during dismissal.
East Elementary School Principal Jonathan Hawes presented updates on his school’s targeted improvement plan, emphasizing maximized educational opportunity and data-driven instruction. East completed a three-year inclusive academy with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, culminating in a graduate course opportunity for educators this past summer. The school has made “fantastic improvements” in performance on various measures, Hawes reported, crediting the staff and students for their work.
Both elementary schools have implemented “Well-Being Wednesdays”—monthly sessions on early release days dedicated to social-emotional learning rather than traditional academics. At East, educators choose from a menu of options including reviewing Toolbox resources, discussing playground situations, engaging with podcasts, or practicing role-play scenarios. The program proved so successful at East last year that it’s expanding to the other three elementary schools this year.
The committee also addressed significant facilities issues. Facilities Director Matt Meehan presented details on emergency roof repairs at South Elementary School that ultimately cost $175,000. What began as routine work during an HVAC replacement project revealed extensive hidden corrosion in the building’s corrugated steel roof structure. Workers discovered a “giant hole” in the structural steel, with daylight visible through numerous small perforations.
“I came out and looked up and said, oh, this is a little bit of an issue,” Meehan told the committee. “Still in the kind of localized area. I called Habib back, our structural engineer, and they came out.”
The work qualified as an emergency repair outside traditional procurement rules because the structural engineer determined the roof would face “significant issues” if a major snowfall occurred before repairs. Enterprise Roofing worked through Labor Day weekend to complete the project, with minimal impact on students. The school’s PA system was damaged when water intruded during the repair work, but the roofing company accepted responsibility and will cover replacement costs.
The committee approved using $65,000 from the emergency capital repair fund—a $500,000 reserve account approved by Town Meeting last year—to cover costs not absorbed by the project’s contingency funds or regular capital roofing accounts. Meehan plans to inspect other sections of South’s roof during Thanksgiving break to determine whether similar hidden corrosion exists elsewhere in the building.
Importantly, Meehan immediately submitted over 75 photographs documenting the roof failures to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) as additional evidence supporting the district’s Statement of Interest. “They’ve accepted two packages so far,” Meehan said. “I will also be sending them both field reports from Habib and any final assessment from any work that we do throughout that project.”
Assistant Superintendent Erica Pollard presented the district’s professional development plan for 2025-2026, which reflects priorities from the strategic plan and the Portrait of a Learner developed last year. Major focus areas include technology integration, particularly artificial intelligence in education, social-emotional learning, and department-level work aligned with the Portrait of a Learner. The district is offering professional development to paraeducators for the second consecutive year, addressing behavior support strategies at the elementary level and executive function skills at the secondary level.
For the first time, Hingham has entered a professional development agreement with Regis College, providing all district employees—regardless of department or position—with access to reduced-cost professional development for themselves and their families. The district also piloted graduate-equivalent courses last year, which received positive feedback. This fall’s course focuses on Lisa Damour’s book “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers,” timed to coincide with an author talk Damour will deliver in Hingham in October.
The committee approved several grants and donations, including a refrigerator for the Plymouth River Elementary teacher’s lounge donated by the PTO, stipend funding from the Hingham High School PTO for the Harbormen Helping Hand program and homework club, and a $3,000 grant from Mass Hire to fund transportation for students attending a construction career day on October 16th.
Oppong also presented the updated FY27 budget calendar, which incorporated committee feedback from the previous meeting. Most significantly, the capital facilities tours were moved from later in the budget cycle to October 18th, starting at 7:30 a.m. The tours will visit the high school, South Elementary, and Plymouth River Elementary, potentially including East Elementary depending on whether current HVAC issues are resolved. The tours will conclude at Foster Elementary, where public tours are scheduled for 9 a.m. that same day, providing the broader community an opportunity to see the recently completed building.
Why It Matters
The electric bus decision could provide meaningful budget relief at a time when Hingham schools face significant financial pressures. The $200,000 first-year savings could help avoid program cuts or staff reductions. Long-term, if state grant funding materializes, the district would save substantially compared to diesel alternatives while also reducing environmental impact and maintenance costs. The decision demonstrates how federal and state grant opportunities can enable districts to make infrastructure investments that would otherwise be financially prohibitive. The extensive research conducted by the transportation director before reversing his initial skepticism also shows the district’s commitment to thorough vetting of major decisions. For parents, the emergency roof repairs at South Elementary highlight both the ongoing facilities challenges facing aging school buildings and the district’s ability to respond quickly to protect students—work was completed over Labor Day weekend with no disruption to the school year. The expansion of social-emotional learning initiatives like Well-Being Wednesdays across all elementary schools reflects growing recognition that academic success depends on addressing students’ emotional and social needs alongside traditional instruction.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve minutes of September 13th workshop. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:01:45)
Motion: Approve minutes of September 15th meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:02:12)
Motion: Approve use of emergency capital repair fund for South Elementary roof repairs in amount of $65,927.55. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:25:48)
Motion: Accept update of South School Improvement Plan. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:48:02)
Motion: Accept update of East School Improvement Plan. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:07:28)
Motion: Approve contract for 10 additional electric school buses and authorize superintendent to sign contract pending state grant approval and town counsel review. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:37:38)
Motion: Accept donation of refrigerator and delivery services to Plymouth River Elementary from PTO. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:39:18)
Motion: Accept donation from Hingham High School PTO for program stipends. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:39:54)
Motion: Accept $3,000 grant from Mass Hire for construction career day transportation. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:40:53)
Motion: Declare surplus items and authorize disposal. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:41:41)
Motion: Adjourn to executive session not to return. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous by roll call. (Timestamp: 1:45:17)
Public Comment
No members of the public provided comments during the designated public comment period. The chair specifically inquired both for in-person attendees and online participants before moving forward with the agenda. Later in the meeting, before the electric bus vote, the chair again asked if anyone wished to comment, noting the item would be discussed at the Advisory Committee meeting the following night.
What’s Next
Highland Capital will notify the district within the next several weeks regarding Massachusetts state grant funding for the electric buses. If approved, the superintendent will sign the contract after town counsel review. If denied, the committee will revisit the decision. The first three electric buses are expected to arrive in February 2025, with charging station construction beginning October 13th. Facilities Director Meehan will inspect additional sections of South Elementary’s roof during Thanksgiving break to assess for similar hidden corrosion. The capital facilities tours are scheduled for October 18th starting at 7:30 a.m., followed by public tours of Foster Elementary at 9 a.m. The Finance Subcommittee will review the FY25 budget closeout at an upcoming meeting. The Educational Programming Subcommittee will meet October 15th at 4:30 p.m. to review MCAS and beginning-of-year data. The next full School Committee meeting is scheduled for October 6th at 6:30 p.m.