Hingham School Committee Approves Student Trips, Increases Substitute Pay

Multiple educational excursions and competitive events get green light as district aims to boost substitute teacher rates

HINGHAM, MA - September 23 - The Hingham School Committee has approved several student trips and increased substitute teacher pay rates during its September 23 meeting.

Committee members gave the go-ahead for a varsity crew competition in Glastonbury, Connecticut, scheduled for Sept. 28. Patrick Houle, the program director for the Hingham High Crew, presented the proposal for 110 athletes to participate in the Guardian Chase race.

"We plan on bringing all of our varsity rowers and our newest novice rowers who have just learned how to row in the past few weeks," Houle said.

The committee also approved a Model UN trip to Boston for Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, 2025. The trip involves two overnight stays near Harvard University, where students will participate in Model UN committee meetings.

An annual 8th-grade trip to Washington, D.C., received approval for May 7-9, 2025. Middle School Principal Derek Smith, presenting the proposal, noted that students will travel by air to maximize time in the nation's capital.

"This trip is open to every student who is interested in participating, and we do make sure that if there is a financial constraint for any families, that we do what we can to help defray the cost to whatever degree need be," Smith said.

In response to a parent's concern, the committee discussed the need for appropriate planning for students who may struggle with being out of routine for multiple days.

The committee also approved a trip for orchestra and band students to Los Angeles in March 2025. Brian Sincotta, the High School Band Director, outlined plans for students to attend a Los Angeles Philharmonic performance and visit cultural sites.

"We're planning to see a tributary program with the LA Philharmonic, an all-world program of Handel and Bach, with the Grand Museum, the LA County Museum of Art, some behind-the-scenes tours of Warner Brothers, along with other sort of traditional Hollywood-type sightseeing," Sincotta said.

In other business, the committee approved an increase in substitute teacher pay rates. Aisha Oppong, Executive Director of Business & Support Services, presenting the proposal, explained the need to remain competitive with area towns and ensure adequate staffing.

"With the increase in the para rate, we found that in some cases the substitute teacher rate was probably less than the para rate," Oppong said. "So we wanted to make sure that we balanced out those expenses and made it more interesting, made it more acceptable for people to actually want to substitute."

The new daily rate for substitute teachers will increase from $125 to $150 for a full day and from $62.50 to $75 for a half day. The short-term substitute rate will also be adjusted to reflect changes in the new teacher contract.

Committee member Tim Dempsey asked if the new rates were competitive with area towns, noting the competition for substitute teachers. Oppong confirmed that the increase should keep Hingham competitive.

The committee also approved the return of $2,773 to the town from the FY2024 budget, a small amount considering the district's overall budget of over $16 million.

In other updates, the district is preparing to search for a permanent executive director of student services. Superintendent Katie Roberts outlined a timeline for the search, with plans to post the position on Jan. 1 and appoint finalists by April 1.

The committee also declared two vans as surplus due to high mileage and safety concerns. Oppong explained the need to decommission the vehicles, which are used to transport special education students.

"These vehicles are 10 years or over, and sometimes those vehicles travel very far to carry our special education students back and forth to school most times," Oppong said. "So we want to make sure that they're working very well and they're in proper order."

The meeting concluded with updates from various subcommittees and approval of an additional cross-country meet in Warwick, Rhode Island, on September 28.