November 9, 2022 Submitted by the Hingham School Committee
On behalf of the Hingham School Committee, we want to share our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming support of the new elementary school to replace Foster School that was evident at Town Meeting and at the ballot box.
We are incredibly grateful for the engagement of so many people in our community who asked tough questions, attended forums, took tours of the current Foster building, engaged in the Town Meeting process, and ultimately voted to support this project.
We sincerely appreciate the hard work of the Invest in Hingham team who garnered support for both the Foster and Public Safety Building through a grassroots effort that culminated in hundreds of lawn signs, multiple stand outs, and education and advocacy that culminated in a tremendously successful “get out the vote” campaign.
Our district employees also put an enormous amount of energy and talent into creating videos and informational materials to educate the community about the need to replace the current Foster school and to develop an educational plan that will meet the 21st century needs of our students. A special thank you to Aisha Oppong, Katie Hartman, Heather Kashman, Sherry Robertson, Matthew Scheufele, Suzanne Vinnes, Katie Roberts, and Margaret Adams for your tireless efforts on behalf of our staff and students.
A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the School Building Committee—Linda Hill, Ray Estes, Chris Mercer, Kevin Lynch, Jen Murphy, and Tim O’Neill for their tenacity and commitment to this project over the past five years. Their work is far from over but I know they are all eager to begin construction and to keep this project on schedule and on budget.
Countless hours were spent by Planning Board and Conservation Committee to ensure the site and design were thoroughly vetted and will meet or exceed federal and state requirements and local ordinances, and we are grateful for their diligence and patience throughout the permitting process.
The unanimous support from both the Select Board and Advisory Committee provided Town Meeting with the confidence needed to overwhelmingly support the project and we are grateful for the amazing work you do every day on behalf our town.
Finally, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to the entire Foster School community: to the families —past and present—who have patiently waited for this moment and to the staff who, despite the challenges inherent in the current building, continue to create a caring, nurturing learning environment for our students.
We are humbled and grateful for the incredible commitment that Hingham voters and tax payers have made to our schools and to our children.
With much gratitude,
Michelle Ayer on behalf of the Hingham School Committee