Hingham School Committee Ends Community Service Graduation Requirement Pilot
Students can earn transcript commendation for 40 hours of service by junior year end
HINGHAM - March 24 - The Hingham School Committee votes to end a pilot program that would have made community service a graduation requirement, opting instead for a voluntary program that rewards students with a transcript commendation for completing 40 hours of service.
The decision comes after a survey of freshmen participating in the pilot revealed that 56 percent did not think community service should be a graduation requirement, though about two-thirds indicated they would perform community service regardless.
"About two thirds of our students reported we're going to do community service whether it's a graduation requirement or not, which I think speaks volumes to Hingham," says John Buckey, Hingham High School principal.
The pilot program had required freshmen to complete 10 hours of community service per year through senior year. The new voluntary program will require 40 hours completed by the end of junior year to receive the commendation.
Committee members express concerns about adding requirements to students' already busy schedules and potential equity issues for students with work or family obligations.
"I struggle with the fact that we're constantly adding to the kids' plates and we're not taking anything away," says Committee Chair Nes Correnti. "I also struggle with that we live in a privileged community, but not necessarily everybody's privileged enough to have the access to get to volunteer activities."
Committee member Michelle Ayer shares a story about a gymnast who had to clean the gym to afford lessons, noting that while exceptions could be made for such students, "once again, I feel othered... it's another way that I feel like I'm different and it's pointing that out."
Superintendent Katie Roberts notes that college admissions officers often look for evidence of intrinsic motivation in community service rather than compliance with requirements.
"When it comes to service, they want to see evidence of intrinsic motivation. So by having the requirement, that's kind of an extrinsic motivator," Roberts says.
The committee votes unanimously to end the pilot program and replace it with the voluntary commendation program.
The committee approves the 2025-2026 school calendar, which includes a new format highlighting religious and cultural holidays. The calendar now features asterisks marking religious observances and explicit language about accommodations for students missing school for religious reasons.
"Students will be provided a reasonable amount of time, typically up to one week, to make up assignments, assessments, and classwork at a mutually agreed upon time with their teacher," explains Erica Pollard, Interim Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, who led the calendar redesign.
The first day of school for the 2025-2026 school year will be September 2.
The committee discusses ongoing roof and HVAC projects at Plymouth River Elementary, South Elementary, and Hingham High School. The projects will be presented as three separate warrant articles at the upcoming town meeting.
The 2017 building committee members express their desire not to continue for another five years, prompting discussion about forming a new committee specifically for these projects.
"It does make sense to probably look at having another committee, because it means that the 2017 building committee, they are in favor of seeing the foster project to the end," says Aisha Oppong, Director of Business and Support Services, discussing the logistics of committee formation.
The committee approves several policy updates, including:
- Reverting Title IX policies back to 2020 versions while maintaining protections for sex stereotypes and sex characteristics
- Updating the walkers and riders policy to align with bus fee changes
- Amending security camera policies to ensure consistency with staff contracts
- Adding a new policy specifically for service animals in schools
- Updating student fundraising policies with language acknowledging family resource differences
The committee's annual town warrant report highlights budget challenges facing the district, including rising costs in utilities, salaries, and special education.
"It has been a lean year and a challenging year. Not only for Hingham, but also area peers with rising costs," says Roberts, noting the budget was developed within the parameters of a 3.5 percent MOU.
The report also acknowledges the "overwhelming support" from the community for the district's needs, including the recently opened Foster School and upcoming roof and HVAC projects.
The committee approves a memorandum of understanding between the town and school committee regarding the nature trail at Plymouth River Elementary School. The agreement will protect a parcel of land with vernal pools and wetlands in perpetuity, in exchange for allowing the town to use land at Bare Cove Park Drive for a new Center for Active Living.
The next regularly scheduled School Committee meeting is April 7, with town meeting scheduled for April 28.