Welcome Back HPS Faculty and Staff

Dear Hingham Faculty,

I am so proud to be your superintendent. I am so grateful for the warmth, kindness, and generosity that have been extended to me by many of you. It is a testament to your strong commitment to the young people in our care and their families.

My greatest joy in life has been to be the parent of two amazing young people. I also have grown tremendously as an educator through parenting two teenagers through a world-wide pandemic. I have been equally just as challenged. I’ll be taking my oldest son shortly off to college as he begins his freshmen year. As I reflect upon our family’s journey, I am reminded of one of my son's first assignments during the pandemic was to read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on “Self-Reliance.” The essay is likely the joy of an English teacher and a nightmare for any 16 year old. He was reading it and commented, “This isn’t English.” Armed with Cliff Notes and the text, we read it together. In short, Emerson argues that “great men” are individualistic, self-centered, and nonconformist, and that those qualities lead them closer towards the goal of self-reliance and ultimately greatness.

My son’s assignment at the end was to write an essay about objections or agreement with the philosophy of self-reliance. This part was easy. I shared my strong belief that it is in community that we accomplish great things. And, in times of crisis, it will be in community that we conquer challenges. It is in community that I have grown and learned most personally and professionally; it has never been alone. I shared with my son that I truly can’t remember anything that I have accomplished alone. It was pure joy to spend time with my son, arguing against the theories of the great Transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and sharing my belief in our need to build a community of learners that is built on the values of inclusion, equity and civic responsibility. My son’s success, as he heads into his freshman year in college, is a testament to the many educators who have cared for him, nurtured not only his learning, but also strengthened his character.

These past two years have truly been a testament to the fact that in community we can accomplish great things. I have never been prouder to be part of a profession that cares deeply for young people. Our collective efforts in community will help us build a learning community that meets the needs of all our young people and their families. And, I am over the moon to begin this journey as your superintendent. I am so looking forward to seeing you soon at convocation and best of all in your own classroom spaces.

Best,

Margaret Adams

madams@hinghamschools.org

781-741-1500 ext. 1

On August 15th, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Department of Public Health released their COVID-19 guidance for the opening of schools. This latest DESE guidance mainly keeps intact the provisions in place from last spring.

In addition to following this guidance, the district will actively monitor local and state COVID-19 numbers and respond appropriately to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

Please see below a summary of the important guidance.

Isolation and Exposure Precautions - All students and staff should follow the updated isolation and exposure guidance issued by DPH, in alignment with recently issued guidance from CDC.

Contact tracing is no longer recommended statewide in K-12 schools.

Masking - There is no statewide requirement or recommendation for universal masking in schools, apart from in school health offices. As always, any individual who wishes to continue to mask, including those who face a higher risk from COVID-19, will be supported in that choice.

COVID-19 Testing - In line with recent CDC guidance, pool (screening) testing and test to stay will not be implemented.

Vaccinations - All individuals are encouraged to stay up-to-date with vaccination as vaccines remain the best way to help protect yourself and others.

COVID-19 Symptoms

Staff are asked to remain vigilant for the following COVID-19 symptoms. Staff are asked to report a positive cases to their school nurse immediately. The information shared with nurses will remain confidential. The reporting will allow the schools to monitor any outbreaks and respond appropriately.

• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as a chronic cough)