Hingham Middle School Revises Homework, Social Studies Policies

Hingham Middle School is making two key changes for the 2025-26 school year, revising its homework policy and eliminating leveled instruction in seventh-grade social studies. School officials say the updates aim to ease academic stress and align with best practices in other districts.

At the January 27 School Committee meeting, Principal Derek Smith outlined the adjustments to homework expectations. The revised policy clarifies time limits and explicitly allows parents to intervene if their child is struggling.

"The last thing we want is for a youngster to sit at the kitchen table for hours on end laboring over an assignment when clearly they've hit the point of having done all they can," Smith said.

Under the new guidelines, students should spend "about 15 to 20 minutes per evening with an hour to an hour and a half total evening." Parents will also be encouraged to notify teachers if their child is unable to complete assignments within a reasonable time frame.

According to school officials, the second major change—removing leveled instruction in seventh-grade social studies—will make the curriculum more inclusive and better aligned with the sixth-grade program.

"We are looking at a heterogeneous model rather than the leveled instruction that we have previously engaged in," Smith explained, adding that sixth grade has already been taught this way.

He also noted that most middle schools in the area do not divide social studies classes by level. "It is very uncommon for middle schools to level the instruction of subjects like social studies world geography," he said.

Despite the shift, Smith emphasized that teachers will still tailor instruction to students' needs. "Our teachers are really skilled at meeting students where they are and pushing them just a little bit further," he said.

According to school officials, these updates reflect broader efforts at Hingham Middle School to balance academic expectations with student well-being. The changes will take effect at the start of the next school year.