Hingham School Committee

Tim Dempsey, Alyson Anderson, Michelle Ayer (Vice Chair), Nes Correnti (Chair), Jen Benham (Secretary), Kerry Ni, Matt Cosman

Members

NamePositionTermEmail
Nancy “Nes” CorrentiChair2022-2025ncorrenti@hinghamschools.org
Michelle AyerVice Chair2023-2026mayer@hinghamschools.org
Jen BenhamSecretary2023-2026jbenham@hinghamschools.org
Kerry NiMember2021-2024kni@hinghamschools.org
Tim DempseyMember2021-2024tdempsey@hinghamschools.org
Alyson AndersonMember2022-2025aanderson@hinghamschools.org
Matt CosmanMember2022-2025mcosman@hinghamschools.org

FAQs

What is the best way to communicate with the School Committee?

Persons interested in communicating with the School Committee may:

What is discussed in a School Committee Meeting?

Click Here for School Committee Agendas, Minutes, Meeting packets, and Recaps

The School Committee conducts its business in open public meetings, the goal and objectives which include, but are not limited to: (i) establishing and periodically reviewing policies, (ii) assuring that the Superintendent uses competent and conscientious personnel and evaluates their performance in implementing School Committee policies, (iii) adopting budgets which will provide sufficient funds to operate the school system economically and effectively to the extent possible given fiscal constraints, (iv) monitoring the school administration’s execution of established policies and (v) establishing and evaluating annual School Committee & Superintendent performance objectives.

The Committee generally meets every other Monday night and establishes an annual meeting schedule during the month of August. In January, extra meetings are generally held on Thursday nights for budget discussions. Meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes are posted online.

Subcommittees of the School Committee

What is the School Committee’s Role in Subcommittees?

Each member is given one or more subcommittee assignments by the School Committee chairperson annually. Each of the six school councils is also assigned a school committee member liaison.

2023-2024 Subcommittee Assignments

School Committee Subcommittee Goals

School Committee Subcommittee Functions

What are the School Committee’s Duties, Authority, and Memberships?

The authority of the School Committee is derived from the Massachusetts General Laws (MGL). The School Committee maintains authority when its members serve as a legal body. Individual members of the School Committee have no authority over school affairs when acting as individuals. School Committee members are considered elected, special municipal employees.

Powers and Duties

The School Committee shall:

  1. Have the power to select, evaluate, and terminate the Superintendent, and appoint, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Assistant/Associate/Deputy Superintendent(s), School Business Administrator, Special Education Administrator, School Physician, School Nurses and Supervisor of Attendance. Such positions shall not report directly to the School Committee.
  2. Review, approve and monitor the school budget.
  3. Establish and review educational goals and policies consistent with the requirements of the law and statewide goals, regulations and standards established by the MA Board of Education and Department of
    Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and also reflective of the priorities of the Town.
  4. Conduct collective bargaining with all school department bargaining units. See Procedures 3.3A for role of Salary & Negotiating Subcommittee.
  5. Employ legal counsel for collective bargaining and other general purposes.
  6. Support the development and promotion of the vision, mission, goals and strategies of the school system, including submitting an Annual Town Report on the state of the schools.

The School Committee shall have such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by the Bylaws of the Town of Hingham or by other vote at Town Meeting.

The School Committee consists of seven members chosen by ballot from the registered voters of Hingham to staggered terms.  Each term is three years and expires at the annual town election; there is no limit on reelection.  Members serve without any compensation.

How can I Request Public Records from HPS?

Massachusetts Public Records Law, Chapter 66, Section 10 of the Massachusetts General Laws, applies to records made or received by a Massachusetts governmental entity. To request records from Hingham Public Schools, contact the Records Access Officer, Margaret Adams, Superintendent for the Hingham Public Schools. Contact Dr. Adams at the School Department, 220 Central Street, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043. She can be reached by telephone at 781-741-1500, by e-mail at madams@hinghamschools.org, or by fax at (781)749-7457.