BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — Between electing what is essentially a new board, replacing the superintendent and working on a project to construct a new high school building, the School Committee had a busy 2015.
November’s election determined that three newcomers would join the committee, including Elizabeth Marchese, Linda Gaieski and Peter Manoogian. Current board members Jeannie Meredith (chair) and Arthur Grabowski were also re-elected.
In 2016, the committee plans to build off of the changes and make strides towards a better education for the students of Saugus.
“You can expect, with this school committee, the priority in 2016 will be closing the achievement gaps in education,” said Meredith.
“We have two former educators on the committee,” she said. “That’s a priority.”
“I’m really excited with the committee we have now,” Meredith said.
A goal for the committee will be taking steps towards raising the district from a Level 3 to a Level 2, she said.
“A big thing we’re going to be doing is working on a comprehensive education plan for the whole district, K through 12,” she said. “Closing the achievement gap will be a big part of driving that plan.”
The committee will also be focused on moving forward with the feasibility study with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for the new high school building project, she said.
“I feel good about the Saugus High School Project Building Committee,” Meredith said. “We have a really good committee comprised of many different people (including) attorneys, engineers and finance people. I feel really good about having that board together.”
Meredith said the committee recently selected, and the MSBA approved, PMA Consultants as the Owner’s Project Manager. Early in 2016, the committee will put out an RFS (request for service) for an architect and design firm, Meredith said.
“Getting accepted from the MSBA to enter the stage that we’re at with the new high school was an accomplishment (in 2015),” she said. “We’re moving at a pretty rapid pace. I think it’s going to be faster than what we think.
“The feasibility study phase of the project was originally supposed to be 22 months long and now I’m hopeful that we’re looking at a much shorter window,” she said. “It’s exciting.”
Superintendent Michael Tempesta resigned in 2015, causing the committee to hire Interim Superintendent Matthew Malone. In 2016, the committee will continue the process of finding a permanent superintendent.
Beginning this month, the School Committee will work to develop a budget.
“I look forward to working together collaboratively with the town to create a balanced budget,” Meredith said.
The committee will begin discussing the budget at the next meeting, Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected].