As you have likely heard by now, Principal Swanson has resigned from Hingham High School (HHS) effective this August to pursue another opportunity. He will be taking on the role of Athletic Director and Wellness Coordinator for the Silver Lake Regional School District. Mr. Swanson has been the principal at HHS since 2017 and was an assistant principal at HHS for ten years prior. 

In a recent email to the HHS community Mr. Swanson shared, “This new opportunity represents a genuine homecoming for me, since I attended Silver Lake as a high school student and later returned as a teacher and coach before moving into school administration. As much as I will miss HHS and all of you, I am excited about this next step in my own professional journey.” 

Throughout his tenure at HHS, Mr. Swanson has taken great strides in creating a safe, welcoming, and vibrant school atmosphere for students, faculty, and staff. We at the Harborlight, on behalf of all students, would be remiss not to recognize him for his years of service as he pursues his next endeavors. 

Mr. Swanson realized the importance of improving communication for the whole HHS community. He shared news and information via the weekly “HHS Hingham Highway” newsletter and via his almost daily social media posts on Instagram or X about all facets of school life – academics, the arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs. Mr. Swanson aimed to create a school to welcome and serve the entire community. He always encouraged a large crowd in the bleachers for a “Friday Night Lights” football game or in the auditorium for a drama or musical presentation. 

Senior class Treasurer Logan Price believes Mr. Swanson was so loved in Hingham because he was an incredible human being. “Every time I saw him at a baseball game he acted like just another dad and that made me feel a lot more comfortable with him as a role model and leader at our school.” With two of his own kids at HHS, Mr. Swanson frequently attended extracurriculars and athletic events.

Notably, Mr. Swanson launched the HHS Unity Project a few years ago to help HHS become a more inclusive, welcoming, and generous community. The Unity Project recently hosted a Unity Week dedicated to “Adelia The Wonder Girl” and raising awareness and funds for research for diffuse midline glioma (DMG). This year, Hingham High School (HHS) was selected as the “Global School of the Year” by the American Field Service (AFS) organization, also demonstrating HHS’s and Mr. Swanson’s commitment to cultural diversity, global competence, and curriculum internationalization. 

In an email to parents and students in February about the 2023 “Report Card” for HHS from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mr. Swanson highlighted, “You will notice on our report card that Hingham High School performed better than 89% of high schools statewide. And while we are proud that HHS shows growth across most accountability measures, we remain committed to ongoing and continual improvement.” 

Sophomore and Class of 2026 Secretary Alec Whitmore describes Mr. Swanson as “genuine” and “approachable.” He adds that Mr. Swanson’s “introduction of Unity Week promotes a positive and safe environment for students.”

After a bomb threat was made in November of 2023 to Congregation Sha’aray Shalom in Hingham, Mr. Swanson shared with the entire HHS community, “In your classrooms: Read, think, debate, analyze, and reflect; choose facts over fiction; learn to recognize propaganda; and become a powerful champion of mutual respect and love over hatred. At the same time, do all you can to spread kindness and show concern for others, pushing back against the things that too often divide us. In those ways, you’ll honor the best ideals of our community, and you’ll also help to move our society closer to what we all want it to be.” 

More than anything Mr. Swanson has perhaps taught us to care and respect one another and to be a kind and inclusive school community. We commend him for ensuring that Hingham High School continuously reaches for excellence in every area. We are grateful for his dedication to fostering a school environment of which we can continue to be proud. We wish him well and thank him for his many years of dedication to HHS.