HMS Connection

"How can they get more connected at HMS?"

"Do you offer anything besides sports?"

The answers to all these questions and more can be found in this week's HMS Connection !

Read on!

HMS offers a wide variety of clubs and activities that occur after school throughout the year. A few important things to keep in mind . . .

• Clubs are open to all students, grades 6 - 8.
• There is no long-term commitment for these clubs. Students can go to every meeting, or just a few.
• It's never too late to join! Students can join a club at anytime! If they're busy in the fall, they can join in the winter or spring.
• Most clubs meet right after school and are over in time for the late buses.
• You can find information about upcoming club meetings and activities in our Daily Notices and in the Week-at-a-Glance document included in the HMS Connection.
• You can find a general description of many of our clubs in the document below. We will be adding to this in the coming weeks.

Please be sure to pay the HMS Activity Fee, which helps support these incredible after school opportunities.

To foster a sense of community and develop school spirit throughout Hingham Middle School, each student in 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade is asked to purchase a team t-shirt. The shirts will be worn for various grade specific events (team days on Fridays, Field Trips, Spirit Week, etc.).

We are asking each student to purchase at least one shirt as part of this school-wide initiative. Shirts are $20.

All the proceeds from the shirts purchased will be contributed to your student's class fund to help support and supplement grade-wide activities throughout the year. All funds raised remain with the class through 8th Grade and ultimately support the end of 8th Grade Festivities.

Please fill out the linked form for your child’s grade and hand in payment by October 9, 2025. **If you have more than one student, please fill out the form for each student.

Please put your payment in an envelope labeled with your Student's first and last name and team name.

For example: John Smith, Pirates

If the cost of the team shirt is currently an economic hardship, please contact any HMS staff member with whom you feel comfortable communicating and financial aid will be provided to ensure all students receive a shirt.

In addition, if you would like to sponsor a student that is unable to purchase a shirt due to economic hardship please let one of the class advisors know.

Cash or checks (made out to the Town of Hingham) can be dropped off as follows:

Vikings: Mrs. Orcutt (102) Vikings Order Form

Greeks: Mrs. McDonough (109) Greeks Order Form

Romans: Mrs. Curran (114) Romans Order Form

CLICK HERE: Order Form for 7th Grade T-Shirts or Scan QR code

Cash or checks (made out to the Town of Hingham) can be dropped off as follows:

Pirates: Mrs. Duncan (217)

Barracudas: Ms. Morse (205)

Sharks: Ms. Murphy (207)

Order Form for 8th-Grade T-Shirts

Cash or checks (made out to the Town of Hingham) can be dropped off as follows:

Lions: Tim Galvin (306)

Jaguars: Mark McCulloch (303)

Eagles: Colleen Dillon (316)

Eighth Grade English Language Arts students drew tree posters to demonstrate the different perspectives in John Knowles’ A Separate Peace.

It might feel like summer isn't quite over now, but the HMS Ski Club is already dreaming of colder days and snow!

For the 25-26Ski Season, The HMS Ski Club will be traveling to Pats Peak on the following days:

• January 10, 2026
• January 31, 2026
• March 7, 2026

Please keep in mind . . .

• Student sign-ups for the ski club will begin in early November.

• Sign-ups for each trip take place approximately 2 weeks prior to the trip.

• Keep an eye on the HMS Connection!

Here are answers, in no particular order, to some Ski Club FAQ’s

• The HMS Ski Club is open to students in all grades, 6-8. Sign-ups will be in November.

• We have been going to Pats Peak for 20+ years. We like Pats because it is a small/medium size mountain with good proximity to Hingham. We have a routine and we stick to it.

• We have great teacher chaperones that monitor the kids in the lodge and on the slopes. We set up our “base camp” in the Valley Lodge with a big red “H”ingham flag. There is always an HMS chaperone there.

• Pats sends us our lift tickets in advance so we are completely organized before we even leave HMS.

• We use Yankee Line buses. They are bright yellow coach buses that you have likely seen on the highway. Yankee only employs competent, professional drivers and has a strict focus on safety. We communicate with Yankee, ad-nauseum, regarding traffic, weather and safety.

• We leave HMS at 5:45 AM and arrive back here at 5:30 PM.

• Before getting off the buses at Pats we review several time and safety reminders with the kids.

• Pats Peak has a highly trained ski patrol and a full medical area. Prior to each trip our school nurses review the list of students and send us with the medication and necessities that each child might need. They will often make arrangements with parents in advance.

• We stop skiing at 3:00 PM and leave Pats at 3:15.

• Check out the Pats Peak website at patspeak.com

• I’m sure we are forgetting something. Always feel free to contact us at school with any questions or have the kids see us between classes or at lunch!

Mr. Riordan, Mrs. Canney, and Mr. McCulloch

Save the Date!

There will be a kickoff meeting for the 2026 Washington DC trip on Oct 7, at 7pm in the Hingham Middle School Auditorium.

On hand will be a representative from Grand Classroom along with the trip leaders and class advisers.

Please plan to attend.

The HMS GSA invites you to show your support of inclusivity and acceptance in our school, this and every Tuesday!

Who's been writing all over the desks?!?!?!?

Our young mathematicians, that's who!!!

Mrs. Duncan’s 6th grade math students put the new Thinking Classroom furniture to great use during a fun and interactive game of Jeopardy.

HMS is proud to be recognized as a Unified Champion School for the second consecutive year!

As a reminder, all families are asked to pay the HMS Activity Fee each year. These funds help to defray costs associated with after-school clubs and activities.

You can complete this process by clicking here to find the Unipay site.

Parents/Caregivers must complete the Parent Permission Workflow for each student at the start of the school year to ensure handbook permissions, media releases, and any opt-outs are recorded.

Please update student and contact information using the Contact Verification Workflow, as we will not be sending paper forms this year.

• 10/1 - Early Release. Dismissal 11:00 AM
• 10/7 - PTO Meeting, 10:00 AM
• 10/9 - Picture Retakes, 2:00 - 3:00
• 10/13 - No School

When we hit 90% participation, we’ll take the party OUTSIDE!

Each grade will get to have lunch all together — think giant 6th-grade picnic vibes with first lunch seating, for example — and soak up the sun while hanging out with friends. Did you donate yet? There’s still time to join in and help us get there — every single donation counts! Let’s make it happen!

We are graciously asking for $45 per family to support our PTO—but please know that any amount is truly appreciated and makes a difference!

We only ask for PTO dues once a year (outside of optional event tickets), so your gift goes a long way in making HMS shine. ✨

Your support helps bring grade-level activities to life, welcome inspiring guest speakers, stock up on much-needed school supplies, provide mini-grants, and show our incredible teachers some extra love and appreciation—all while adding extra fun throughout the year! 🎉

Together, we can make HMS the very best it can be for our students, teachers, and community. Thank you for giving what you can!

We are thrilled to be supporting our One Book, One School events this month, including a virtual visit from Song of the Whale author, Lynne Kelly, complete with an ASL interpreter.

Come hear what we’ve been up to and what we have planned for the future!

Please join us at our upcoming PTO meetings scheduled for October 7th, November 4th and December 2nd at 10AM in the HMS cafeteria.

Thank you to Lindsay Newell of @lindsaynewellinteriors for creating this beautiful fall planter for the front entrance of HMS.

This year we are excited to open up new volunteer opportunities within our Staff Appreciation committee. Please sign up here to help organize an event for our wonderful teachers and staff. Please reach out to hmspto.info@gmail.com with any questions.

Sixth Grade Fall Festival - 10/17

All Hingham Middle School 6th Grade Students are invited to attend an afternoon of fun and games at the 2025 6th Grade Fall Festival! Snacks, treats, inflatables, Live DJ, music, games and more on Friday, October 17th from 2-3:30pm, with a rain date of Friday, November 7th. This is an outdoor event so please dress accordingly. There will be NO LATE BUS so plan to arrange a ride home for your 6th grader. Please follow the below links to register your student & purchase ticket(s) and for volunteer opportunities. It takes a Village! Thank you for your support!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR STUDENT!

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER/DONATE!

All Hingham Middle School 7th grade students are invited to an evening of Halloween fun on Friday, October 24th from 7-8:30 pm at Hingham Middle School. Join your friends for an evening of music, games, snacks, and more! This is an outdoor event so dress accordingly. Costumes encouraged!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR 7TH GRADER

CLICK HERE TO DONATE OR VOLUNTEER AT THE EVENT

All Hingham Middle School 8th Grade Students are invited to attend an evening to remember at the 2025 8th Grade Bonfire Fest! A new take on an old tradition, your student(s) won’t want to miss this exciting event as they embark on their last year together at HMS. Firepits, live music, make your own s’mores, Henna tattoos, glow in the dark games, delicious treats and more...For one night only on the Festival Grounds of HMS from 7-8:30PM! This is an outdoor event so please dress accordingly. Please use the link below to register and purchase your ticket(s). Proceeds from this event supports the funding of the epic 8th Grade Field Day at the culmination of their school year, so we hope that EVERY SINGLE STUDENT can attend!

REGISTRATION FOR 8TH GRADE FIREPIT FEST

VOLUNTEER FOR 8TH GRADE FIREPIT FEST HERE

DONATE TO 8TH GRADE FIREPIT FEST HERE

Alison Chamberlain – President

Dawn Murray – Vice President

Lauren Davalla – Secretary

Molly Richards – Treasurer

Contact us at hmspto.info@gmail.com

Visit our website

Join us on Thursday, October 23 at 6:30 PM at Hingham Middle School for a special evening with New York Times best-selling author Dr. Lisa Damour.

Dr. Damour will join us at HMS via live video to share practical advice from her books The Emotional Lives of Teenagers and Untangled on topics like stress, confidence, social media, and family connections. A Q&A will follow.

✅ RSVP here: bit.ly/Dr.DamourHingham