Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 DERUOSI | FROM PAGE 1 the town at five years. “We got a great mix and I really look forward to working with this team,” School Committee Member Joseph “Dennis” Gould told his colleagues at last week’s (Thursday, March 18) School Committee meeting. “There were some obviously qualified that didn’t make it,” said Gould, who is serving as vice-chair of the search committee, alongside School Committee Vice-Chair Ryan Fisher, who is chairing the special panel. “But, I think demographically, we hit what Saugus looks like. I also think we hit a wide range of educational experience, whether they’d be teacher, administrator or parent,” he said. The superintendent search committee’s work gets underway officially next Thursday night (April 1) when members convene via Zoom teleconferencing for an organizational meeting. They will begin reviewing applications on April 6. Superintendent candidates have until Monday (March 29) to apply for the position. The screening committee at a glance Here are the members of the 15-member committee: Ryan Fisher: He is in the second year of his first two-year term on the Saugus School Committee, where he serves as vice-chair. He is also the chair of the superintendent search committee. He says his fiveyear-old daughter’s educational future – possibly in Saugus Public Schools – motivates him to find the best possible candidate to become the next superintendent of Saugus Public Schools. He previously served as a Town Meeting member. He is the Program coordinator for the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board. Dennis Gould: He is the vice-chair of the superintendent search committee and is among the five new School Committee members elected two years ago. He has been active in local government of his home town: as a Town Meeting member for four years (20032007), as chairman of the Cemetery Commission and Secretary of the Disabilities Commission. He helped inspire the community-wide initiative “Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus” – also known as HS2 – which is aimed at eliminating hunger among the schoolchildren of Saugus. Stephannie Barboza: She is $2.39 a Saugus parent, has a Master’s in Administration of Higher Education and serves as a university academic advisor. Steve Black: He is an assistant principal at the middle school and a former fine 2035 | FROM PAGE 1 establishing the vision for future economic development throughout the town were among the issues that drew arts teacher in Saugus Public Schools – a 14-year educator. Julie Cicolini: She is a parent of a Saugus High School graduate and a current High School student. She is also president of Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus. Scott C. Crabtree: Saugus Town Manager and the parent of three children in Saugus Public Schools. He is one of four members who served on the superintendent search committee four years ago which eventually led to the hiring of School Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. He was a primary player in the campaign to gain community support and build a new Saugus Middle-High School. Michelle Dwyer: She is a district faculty member, instructional leadership team member, COVID-19 response team member, racial justice professional learning community member and a coordinator for Next Steps to Success. Sabrina Jaeger: She is a Saugus parent, educator in Medford schools and trained social justice advocate Richard Lavoie: He is a 20year educator, a Precinct 7 Saugus Town Meeting member and the president of the Saugus Educators’ Association. Charlie Naso: He is a retired educator of 35 years, including time as a teacher and educator at Everett Public Schools. He served as the Vice Principal and Principal of Belmonte Middle School. He's on the School Committee’s Policy Subcommittee and is a board member for Saugus sports. much discussion. “We’ve had people killed in the crosswalk at St. Margaret’s,” said Linda Riley, business manager at St. Margaret’s, as she expressed her concerns during William Palmerini: He is a 35-year educator who served on the last superintendent search committee five years ago. He teaches 5th grade at the Veterans Memorial Elementary School. When the Saugus High Class of 2020 valedictorian and salutatorian spoke at the School Committee meeting last year, they were both asked who their favorite teacher was in their time at Saugus Public Schools and they both said Bill Palmerini without hesitation. Tracey Ragucci: She is principal of the Veterans Memorial Elementary School and was a member of the superintendent search committee five years ago. She is also the incoming STEAM academy principal and a Saugus parent. Michael Sullivan: He is a Saugus parent, chair of the Saugus Cultural Council, chair of the Saugus Public Library Board of Trustees, a PhD in history, has university teaching experience and is a certified financial planner and Cub Scout master. Dawn Trainor: She is the Director of Pupil Personnel Services and is another member who served on the superintendent search committee five years ago. She is also a former paraprofessional, special education (SPED) teacher, team leader, assistant principal and parent of three graduates. Kelly Wolff: She is a 25-year educator, coach, administrator and parent. She is also the athletic director for Swampscott Public Schools a small discussion that focused on traffic and parking in the Cliftondale area. “If we could resolve some of these parking and traffic issues, Cliftondale Square should have a bright future,” she said. In another small discussion group, Selectman Debra Panetta complained about some of the ongoing, neglected problems of Route 1 – filth, trash scattered along the highway, thousands and thousands of apartments sprouting up – adding to the traffic congestion. “Route 1 is not safe – way too many accidents,” she said. “The car is really the kind in Saugus,” MAPC staffer Maura Holland said. About 120,000 cars per day pass down Route 1. Meanwhile, on Main Street in Saugus, the traffic load is 18,000 to 23,000 a day, she said. MAPC Planner Chris Kuschel said another forum is planned for late spring to early summer, as the discussion will focus on Casting “a wide net” for members In an interview this week, Fisher stressed that he and Gould considered it crucial to create a committee with a wide range of experience and viewpoints. “The bottom line is as we move through the screening process we would like as many points of view represented as possible and wanted to cast a wide net for applicants. We don’t want 15 people who all think alike,” Fisher said. “We tried very hard to balance the committee with representatives of as many groups as possible. We wanted representatives of the district, from central office to building leadership to district faculty on both the elementary levels and from the middle-high, administration and union, veteran educators and newer teachers, as well as retired educators and those from outside the district,” Fisher said. “We wanted advocates for SPED, athletics, fine arts, those promoting racial and social justice. We have parents from all age groups, from those who volunteer for everything and anything to those who have been hesitant to get involved in the past but who want to make a difference. I think we put together a team of people who all wear a number of hats with very diverse points of view and experience and we’re looking forward to getting to work.” The screening committee will be introduced to the community next Thursday DERUOSI | SEE PAGE 6 other elements of the Master Plan, which is at the midway point of a two-year process. The plan, once completed, can be used as a tool to guide the community through future growth and development through the year 2035. Planning Board Chair Peter A. Rossetti. Jr., who is also a Town Meeting Member in Precinct 2, has seen better days in Cliftondale – once the site of three supermarkets. “We’ve been attempting for the last 30-odd years to try to revitalize Cliftondale,” Rossetti said, noting that 15,000 people live within a two-mile radius. He noted there’s a connection between the area and downtown Boston. One contributor to the area’s economic decline is the lack of mixed-use zoning. Mixed-use zoning is grandfathered on some properties, but it is not allowed because Town Meeting voted against it, he said. (Read more about the forum in next week’s edition.)
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