Hingham School Committee Approves Turf Installation Contract, Launches Therapeutic Program
Committee awards $336,125 contract to R.A.D. Sports, aims for completion by September 1
HINGHAM - June 2 - The Hingham School Committee has approved a contract for turf installation at Hingham High School and received details about a new elementary therapeutic program during their June 2 meeting.
The committee unanimously awarded a $336,125 contract to R.A.D. Sports for site preparation and installation of the high school turf field. The project, which received $880,000 in funding at town meeting, is expected to be completed by September 1, just in time for the start of school.
"We gave a deadline for it to be done by September 1st. Actually, a week before September 1st, actually. Just in time for school as the latest date when the turf can be ready," said Aisha Oppong, Executive Director of Business & Support Services.
The district separated the turf project into two components – manufacturing/purchase and installation – to expedite the timeline. Officials have already placed a purchase order with Shaw for the turf material.
"One of our key concerns has been trying to make sure that we can deliver the turf to students before the start of school," Oppong explained.
The committee also heard plans for a new elementary therapeutic program to be housed at Plymouth River School. The program will start small with three to five students in grades 3-5 and could eventually expand to the middle school level.
"We are now pivoting and considering building a very small pilot in-district that's homegrown for next year," said Superintendent Katie Roberts. "Our intention actually would be to grow this up to the middle school over time."
The therapeutic program aims to serve students with higher needs who might otherwise require out-of-district placements. Plymouth River School was selected because it's more accessible with a single-level, somewhat contained environment.
"With Plymouth River being smaller, we do have smaller caseloads for speech, for OT, for PT, and those sort of specialized pieces. So we would be able to support that at this moment in time," said Greg Lamothe, Plymouth River School principal.
The district plans to use a consult model with the South Shore Educational Collaborative to help build the program.
"Normally the consult model works is like once a month you sort of go over your caseload and you sort of say here are the way that we're dealing with this behavior, here are the way that we're dealing with this student, what do you suggest for this," Lamothe explained.
Committee member Tim Miller-Dempsey, who has worked in a therapeutic school, expressed strong support for the initiative.
"Looking at the most out-of-control thing that we're spending money on is out-of-district placements. By out-of-control, I mean that we have the least amount of control over," Miller-Dempsey said. "This is a time when these are kids who would be separated from their peers, from their town... and if you're doing that at this age, that will be a relationship that's severed that they're not going to get back."
The committee also accepted two grants during the meeting:
- A $13,260 DESE Civics Teaching and Learning Grant to support civics education activities, including the Mock Town Meeting Program for third-grade students
- A $70,000 grant from the Hingham Education Foundation to continue supporting the Thinking Classrooms Initiative, which encourages active participation, critical thinking, and problem-solving in secondary mathematics classrooms
In other business, the committee approved a budget-neutral restructuring of the business and human resources office. The plan reallocates one FTE from an HR administrative assistant position to create a new payroll specialist position.
The committee also recognized several retiring staff members:
- Paula Flanagan, HHS chemistry teacher, retiring after 31 years
- Dr. Paul Pawlowsky, HHS Technology Engineering Program, retiring after 28 years
- Carolyn Bixby, grade three teacher at Foster, retiring after 23 years
- June Gustafson, grade six social studies at the middle school, retiring after 21 years
- Maribeth Lalli, HMS adjustment counselor, retiring after 24 years
- Kathleen Jennings, East School teacher
- Toni Barbuto, para-educator at South School
- Maria Brady, para-educator at South School
- Tony Terakovski, lead custodian at South School
Superintendent Roberts highlighted several upcoming events, including the dedication of the Foster School stage in honor of former HHS student Anna Quinlivan, who passed away in 2020. She also congratulated the high school girls crew team for winning the state title and the high school sailing team for placing second in the state championship.
Roberts noted that over $400,000 in scholarships will be awarded by the high school scholarship committee to graduating seniors, with an additional $70,000 in scholarships from private and outside organizations.
The committee's next meeting is scheduled for June 16 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a month-long break before reconvening on July 21.