SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Tom Whittredge – Oversee A Smooth District Transition
For committee chair Thomas Whittredge, Saugus’ move to a combined middle-high school setup later this year will be his top priority these next few months, primarily, he says, because resources freed up by the move will allow the school board to focus on other goals down the road.
“My biggest concern right now is the middle-high school construction and condensing down to three schools,” he said. “That will open the door for the other things myself and the rest of the committee want to do.”
Lowering athletic and activity fees and providing free, full-day kindergarten to Saugus families are visions he says the board universally shares. He added that once a smooth transition is made to the new system, the reallocation of building resources ideally means residents will start to see benefits elsewhere.
“Taking other buildings offline obviously lowers overhead with utilities and everything else, so it frees up some money,” Whittredge said. “It will help us accomplish things we all want to do as a group.”
Before the board can look at anything else, Whittredge stressed that making sure the move is seamless is crucial for the district’s future success.
“It definitely frees up more space and more revenue,” he said of the three-school system. “How this build and the move goes, that really kind of controls everything.”
Joseph Gould – Oversee A Smooth District Transition
Like Whittredge, Joseph Gould’s top priority over these next two years will be to ensure the district’s smooth transition after its move to its new combined middle-high school building.
“I want to focus on a successful transition, and then work on all the other stuff we have to (improve),” he said.
He added the district’s shake-up will mean a clean slate for the committee going forward, and said it would give Saugus the opportunity to zero in on many of the district’s other problems, particularly the middle school’s lagging test scores.
He also said one of the biggest challenges to accompany this change will be the implementation of new curriculums that better fit the design and configuration of the new school.
“We’ll be in the new school, which will have better equipment, better aids, better computers,” he said.
“(It gives us a chance to) put the resources in there and the right curriculum and work with the teachers to make sure the students are successfully prepped for MCAS.”
Ryan Fisher – Introduce Free Kindergarten
Ryan Fisher told The Item his number one priority over the next two years will be providing free full-day kindergarten for Saugus families.
“In terms of how much better children do when they have access to full-day kindergarten … how much it prepares them for reading, writing, math, and reasoning skills,” Fisher said, “it’s something that needs to happen.”
He added that Saugus is one of just 48 districts out of more than 300 in the state that do not already offer free full-day kindergarten, and he noted the current school reconfiguration slated for the district will be a good time for Saugus to introduce the change.
Fisher also emphasized that the community as a whole will see long-term benefits.
“It’s good for the kids and it’s good for the community too, because the more kids we put through the Saugus school system, the more will stay, and the more will contribute in later grades,” he said.
In addition to bringing more students to the district who might otherwise attend one of several nearby private schools, Fisher also said offering this resource to families who can’t afford to pay will equalize students’ opportunities down the road.
“If you’re ahead at the beginning, you’re ahead for life,” he said.
John Hatch – Improve Morale
Improving district morale is top of John Hatch’s priority list.
“I think our town and school district, for several reasons, went through some pretty tough times these last four years,” Hatch said, adding that he believes numerous setbacks resulted in a town-wide drop in morale.
“I want to improve and change the culture of our district,” he said.
One way Hatch said the committee can achieve this is by supporting Saugus educators in the classroom.
“Saugus, in my opinion, has never had to worry about educators. Our educators are top notch, always have been,” he said.
“I think we need to support them in making fundamental changes for the district. Once that culture and morale improves, you’ll see a natural progression by way of improved test scores.”
Hatch said he thinks improving the district’s culture will inevitably lead to improvements in areas Saugus schools are lacking, but also acknowledged the board has its work cut out for it.
“Personally, I don’t like seeing contracts unsettled. One of my goals will be to not let that happen while still being responsible to the budget,” he said.
“We’re at a critical point. We’re going to a three-school system in our town and I think it’s an amazing opportunity to change a whole lot all at once.”
Arthur Grabowski – Introduce Free Kindergarten
“Provide free, all-day kindergarten for all eligible students in Saugus,” Grabowski said when asked ao his number one goal for the next two years is.
Same as Fisher, Grabowski said making full-day enrollment free creates a more equitable environment where all Saugus students have the opportunity to learn at the same pace.
“All the literature I’ve read and experts I’ve spoken to believe that kindergarten is where the youngest of our children have the chance to start the learning process,” he said.
“I believe adding that element to our schools allows those students to start off on the right foot in a Saugus public school setting.”
He added that the district’s $2,700 full-day price tag is unfair to families who can’t afford the extra fee.
“It’s essential that we get (kids) in there, and I think it’s a shame, in terms of equity, that we charge that much while people are in such tight financial straits,” he said. “Eliminating the enrollment fee eliminates that barrier and gives kids a head start.”
Getting more kids into full-day kindergarten, Grabowski said, will also allow the district to identify students who need extra classroom assistance early on, reducing the chance those children will struggle throughout their scholastic career.
“Maybe that intervention might correct some learning problems that might manifest themselves to be bigger problems in the first, second or third grade,” he said.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Anthony Cogliano – Build A West Side Fire Station
Anthony Cogliano’s main focus these next two years will be the construction of a West Side fire station he says is long overdue for Saugus.
“I think it’s been talked about for 30 years and we haven’t been able to get that accomplished,” Cogliano said.
He noted a dramatic uptick in development along Route 1 has only increased the town’s need for a facility nearby.
“It’s imperative we have a fire station on the West Side,” he said.
According to Cogliano, money for a station was approved back in 1996, and Saugus currently has pinpointed a plot of land near the Oaklandvale elementary school. However, the total cost of construction, as well as new equipment, is something that still needs to be calculated.
“Sitting down with the fire chief will be number one,” Cogliano said.
“After initial talks I’ve had with the chief, he seems to think it’s within our means as far as personnel is concerned, but between equipment and the building of the actual station, we’ll need to put numbers together and find out how soon (we can do this).”
He added that a new station will also improve response times to that side of town.
“It’s just something that needs to be done,” Cogliano said.
Corinne Riley – Promote Transparency
For Corinne Riley, a position on the Board of Selectmen allows her the chance to work toward what she says will be “fulfilling transparency and accountability to the people of Saugus.”
“I ran on (that), and still believe in it,” Riley said. “I’m a Saugonian. It’s my hometown.”
A love for her hometown is what pushed her to run for her position, which she says is an opportunity to give back to her community and push for improvements where needed.
“I feel that past boards and committees have always done great work, but when you run and you want to be a part of the community, you know that you are trying to better it,” she said.
“It’s not that anyone did a bad job — I don’t ever want to say anyone has done poorly, because they gave it a shot. They were trying to make Saugus a better place … But on the same issue, I feel that everyone runs and wants to be a part of (the board) because they want to improve the town.”
Jeff Cicolini – Improve Town Master Plan
Jeff Cicolini said his number one goal will be to focus on updating Saugus’s master plan.
“This master plan will be the driver for so many other projects within the town,” he said.
Although Cicolini acknowledged that constructing a master plan would not be the board’s only priority, he said focusing on other projects first “is like putting the cart before the horse.”
Cicolini said Saugus’s plan — which will be overseen by town planner Alexander Mello, who was hired in November — is extremely comprehensive and encompasses the town’s economic development plan, its public safety plan, and its infrastructure plan.
“There are so many pieces that hinge off of it, it has to be the priority,” he said.
“We need to see what the ultimate result of the master plan is and what that entails. What does the town look like from a capacity standpoint? Traffic, infrastructure, et cetera, then you fill in the blanks.
“It could result in us needing to work with the state and federal delegations to try to achieve something like the alleviation of congestion on Route 1.”
Debra Panetta – Create Strategies
Now in her ninth year serving as a town selectmen, Debra Panetta has a strong idea of what she wants to focus on as she enters her fifth term.
“With all the new development up and down Route 1, it’s imperative we have a strategy for our town’s growth while protecting our neighborhoods and environmental resources,” she said, referring to Saugus’s in-progress master plan.
“This plan will be the framework for making informed decisions, which will include policy for future land use, housing, commercial development, transportation, and open space.”
Although Panetta noted the Board of Selectmen doesn’t get involved with new developments (“we’re a licensing board,” she said. “That’s not under our purview”), what she says the board can do is be a voice for its fellow community members.
“(By) going there, being supportive of the neighborhoods, learning as much as we can learn,” she said, “we can have direct input into the master plan and what’s being done. I think that is of the utmost importance.”
Panetta added that part of pulling that plan together will involve listening to fellow Saugonians to ensure the final result reflects what the needs in the community are.
“We need to find out what people actually want in their community,” she said.
Michael Serino – Reinforce Positive Changes
Michael Serino said his biggest priority over the next two years is to reinforce the positive changes he says he’s already made during his time serving on the board.
“My goal is to assure the residents that I have had a positive effect in making Saugus a great community to live in,” he said.
As a public servant in Saugus, Serino has “always tried my best to work with people and do my homework regarding issues facing Saugus.”
He added: “Moreover, I do take into consideration public input and always try to be open, honest, and fair when making decisions for our community.”