Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 2, 2024 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus! But it was hardly a good morning this time last week for the Saugus Public Schools Community when a 52-year-old Middle School teacher was arraigned in Lynn District Court the day after she was arrested for bringing fentanyl, a dangerous opioid, into the school – in fact, right into her classroom. Roxanne Plaskon, 52, of Beverly, pleaded innocent at her arraignment last Friday (Jan. 26) in Lynn District Court after being charged with possession of a Class A substance. She deserves her day in court. And for that reason, town school officials and police aren’t saying much about Plaskon’s arrest. The attorney who represented her said it is clear that Plaskon would likely lose her teaching job at the Saugus Middle School. It came out at the arraignment that she has no prior criminal record, but has been undergoing treatment for a drug problem. That begs the question as to whether school officials were aware of this at the time of Plaskon’s hiring or during her employment. School officials and police in their statements to the media insist that neither the staff nor the students were ever at risk, and that the school and police handled the situation the way it should have been handled. “Both the Saugus Administration and Saugus Police Department addressed the situation, following the appropriate procedures and laws, to make sure that at no time was the safety of students or staff in jeopardy,” Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Michael Hashem said in his statement. Obviously, the person who discovered the “suspicious white powdery substance” in the faculty bathroom used proper judgment by making sure police were aware of the situation. And police making a second trip to the school after a similar substance was found in a bag in the teacher’s classroom shows good collaboration on the part of police and school officials. Unfortunately, no matter what the police and school officials did, there will be a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking. How did it happen that a seventh grade teacher brought fentanyl into the school? That’s a question that’s bound to be troubling a lot of parents in the Saugus Public Schools community today, particularly the ones whose children had Plaskon as their teacher. Hopefully, Plaskon gets the help she needs to overcome whatever drug-related problem she’s being treated for. But the number one priority should be protecting the children. And their parents need to be assured that school administrators and police are doing everything they can to protect students from exposure to dangerous drugs like fentanyl in the learning environment. It’s an issue that merits some serious public discussion. Saugus, like every community in the Commonwealth, has a drug problem. That should be abundantly clear from the federal indictments and prosecution of Saugus residents on drug charges in recent years. The latest incident involving the arrest of the Middle School teacher should be of serious concern for all civic-minded Saugonians – and a great starting point for some meaningful discussion. Stay tuned. EXTRA “Shout Outs” for Saugus firefighters We didn’t receive any nominations from readers who want to heap praise on fellow Saugonians for good deeds, acts of kindness or impressive achievements. So, as editor, I nominate the Saugus firefighters, particularly the ones who will be graduating today from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Saugus will be represented among the 26 recruits from 14 different fire departments who receive their certificates of completion at the Department of Fire Services campus in Bridgewater. There was an embargo on the story at press time yesterday, so stay tuned for the story in next Friday’s newspaper. Want to “Shout Out” a fellow Saugonian? This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out – in a brief mention – FUN FOR GROWNUPS: The Saugus Public Library will offer Adult Craft Night this Tuesday (Feb. 6) from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Brooks Room. (Saugus Advocate Photo by Mark E. Vogler) remarkable acts or achievements by Saugus residents or an act of kindness or a nice gesture. Just send an email (mvoge@comcast. net) with a mention in the subject line of “An Extra Shout Out.” No more than a paragraph; anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or a photo. Food Pantry notes: The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Feb. 2) from 9:3011 a.m. Legion Breakfast today There’s a good breakfast deal for Saugus veterans and other folks who enjoy a hearty breakfast on Friday mornings. The American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor St. in Saugus offers Friday morning breakfasts for the 2023-24 season. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free. Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site winter hours The Town of Saugus Compost/Recycling Drop-Off Site is closed for the winter. But it will reopen for recycling on the third Saturday of February and March 2024 weather permitting. Please note: The site will be open on Feb. 17 and March 16 during the period from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please contact Scott Brazis, Director of Solid Waste/Recycling, with any questions at 781-231-4036. Town Meeting Sessions Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian is providing an opportunity for Saugus citizens who want to learn the basics about Town Meeting – the legislative body of Saugus town government. Manoogian is a veteran of about four decades in local town government at various levels, including many years as a Town Meeting member. The three sessions Manoogian will be leading this year are tailored for newly elected Town Meeting members or veterans who want to refresh themselves about Robert’s Rules of Order or how to put forward an article for consideration. The sessions that Manoogian is planning are free and open to the public – for all interested citizens. The sessions will take place on these three nights – Feb. 16 and 29 and March 25 – from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library at 295 Central St. Kowloon 80s Dance Party tomorrow nite The Kowloon Restaurant is set to host an 80s Dance Party with WildFire playing live in concert. The event is set for February 3; doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show is from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $30 per person and include a light dinner buffet. Guests are invited to dress in 1980s costumes – with cash prizes awarded to the best dressed. For more information, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077 or access online at www.kowloonrestaurant.com Cornhole League begins Feb. 8 The Knights of Columbus is holding a Cornhole League, starting Feb. 8. It will be held at 57 Appleton St. in Saugus. For more information and league rules, please sign up at https://www.volosports. com/l/6569015e70de58f41da6e7af Pre-K Parent Information Night The Veterans Early Learning Center at 39 Hurd Ave. will host a Pre-K Parent Information Night on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. The event is designed for new parents to learn about the center’s preschool programming. Parents will get to learn about the preschool vision, entering the lottery, the registration process, financial obligations, daily operations, parent questions and registration documents. All Pre-K programs run Monday through Friday, with an early release on Wednesday. Based on the child’s date of birth (DOB), placement will be in one of the following programs: DOB between Sept. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2021: three-year-old a.m. (8:30 to 11 a.m.), three-year-old p.m. THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 15
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