August 9, 2023 By Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham Public Schools is preparing for implementation of a new Select Board-created policy that prohibits the procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles on municipal property — including the schools — effective Sept. 1.
This ban is in conjunction with a warrant article approved at the April 2023 Annual Town Meeting calling for a townwide ban on retail sales of water in plastic containers smaller than one gallon. Cleaner Greener Hingham proposed the article.
At this week’s School Committee meeting, Supt. of Schools Margaret Adams provided an update on HPS’ plans to support the ban “to ensure a smooth transition.”
Principals will work with Central Office staff and the PTOs to get the word out in the last weeks leading up to the start of school and into the Fall.
Families will be encouraged to provide students with reusable water bottles to fill up throughout the school day, with school leaders supporting students during the implementation of this change throughout the lunch period and other times during the day.
The Facilities Department is preparing to comply with the new policy by ensuring all water bubblers and filling stations are operational by the start of the school year. All elementary classrooms will have a functioning water bubbler, with a few exceptions.
The Middle School has a water-filling station on each floor, including two on the first floor. The high school has nine water bubblers and six hydration stations, with three additional water-filling stations requested from the town.
“The status of these extra stations is still in process as they go through the bidding process,” Adams said. HPS is seeking additional grant funding sources to support the implementation of additional water-filling stations.
Hingham High School Principal Rick Swanson and Athletic Director Jim Quatromoni will communicate the change to coaches, student leaders, families, and booster groups.
Food Services is making its own preparations. “At the elementary schools, students can purchase additional milk during lunch,” Adams said. “There are no plans to sell water in other types of containers at the elementary level.”
Middle and high school students will be able to purchase non-carbonated, non-flavored water in other containers, with more details to come. Flavored water will still be available for purchase at the secondary level.
Adams noted that Plymouth River School stopped selling single-use water bottles in the cafeteria in January of 2023, with reminders to families to send students to school with refillable water bottles. This transition went well, according to Principal Gregory Lamothe.
Way to go, Cleaner Greener Hingham! The bans of single-use plastic bottles and retail plastic bags are great steps in the right direction, reducing our carbon footprint and pollution throughout our beautiful Hingham landscape. We have miles to go before we sleep, though. Let’s keep our eyes on how we can reach Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2040, our 2021 town meeting mandate, step by step!