No School Procedures

No School Procedures

Hingham Public Schools Inclement Weather Decision-Making Process

The decision as to whether or not the schools will be closed or delayed is made by the Superintendent of Schools after consideration of available local weather reports and consultation with the Department of Public Works, other area school superintendents, and appropriate town officials. The decision is based on the practical considerations of the safe transportation of students and the accessibility of the schools to staff and students. Under normal circumstances, the decision is made before 5:30 a.m. and is based on the assessment of road conditions, communications with DPW, and predictions of general weather conditions at the time the children are scheduled to be transported. Anyone living in the Boston area knows that those predictions are often unreliable. Therefore, parents are encouraged to use their own judgment in deciding whether to send their child to school based on the actual conditions in their area of town at the time their children would be leaving for school. 

Radio and  TV Stations to be Contacted

Cancellations or delays will be broadcast on TV stations WBZ, WCVB, WHDH, Fox, NBC and NECN and posted on their websites. Several stations offer phone, text and email notification and weather apps for parents who enroll. Harbor Media will also post it to their website at https://harbormedia.org and on social media. On occasion (and because of volume), it may be difficult to reach certain stations by phone. Parents and students should, therefore, check with more than one station to determine if school is canceled or delayed. Individuals are asked not to call the schools. The number of lines is limited and staff may not be able to answer before school hours.

School Cancellation/Delay Notifications

Closing or delays will be posted to Hingham Public Schools social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Closing and delay announcements will also be posted on the school department’s website www.hinghamschools.org and via an Aspen X2 message as soon as that is physically possible. Additionally, a School Messenger phone call will be made to all parents/caregivers no earlier than 6AM.

Please Do Not Call Police or Fire Departments

Parents and students are urged not to call 911, the Police Station, or the Fire Department for information about the operation of the schools. These agencies are not the proper sources of information and numerous phone calls may impede communications over phone lines which are designed for emergencies.

Integrated Pre-School

In the event of a delayed opening, there will be no a.m. Integrated Pre-School; p.m. Integrated Pre-School will meet and in the event of a delayed opening, Integrated (Full Day) Pre-School will operate on the delayed schedule along with other full day students at grades K-5.

Kids In Action  

Please be aware that in the event of a Hingham Public School cancellation, Kids In Action will also be canceled.

On days that there is a delayed opening in the Hingham Public Schools, the KIA Before-School Program (grades K-5) will operate also on the same schedule, with the times reflecting the amount of the scheduled delay.  One hour delay – KIA will open at 8:00 a.m.  Two hour delay – KIA will open at 9:00 a.m.  In the event there is a delayed opening, KIA pre-kindergarten classes at South School will be canceled. In the unlikely event of an early dismissal due to winter storms, KIA After School Programs will close at 3:00 P.M.

Sidewalk Plowing

Hingham has a limited number of sidewalk plows and they cannot be in multiple locations at the same time.  They also move more slowly than other vehicular traffic. Therefore, it is unlikely that sidewalks can be cleared as quickly as roadways. Especially in the case of a major storm, schools typically will resume sessions before all sidewalk plowing can be completed.  Parents can help by organizing neighborhood car pools, walking with children to school, clearing snow banks at bus stops and driveway entrances to enhance visibility, etc.  As well, school bus drivers have been instructed to pick up “walkers” along established bus routes if students are waiting in a visible location along those routes.