THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022 Page 7 Filling a vacancy with a vow New School Committee member Gerow promises to “work as hard as I can for the children and parents of Saugus” By Mark E. Vogler F or the fi rst time in more than two and a half years, a woman will serve on the fi ve-member School Committee. Leigh Gerow — who received 1,593 votes, the sixth highest total in last November’s town elections — fills the vacancy left last week by the resignation of School Committee Chair Thomas R. Whittredge. Whittredge, who was the top vote-getter in the last two School Committee races, stepped down from the two-year position to spend more time with his two children after his wife died last Thanksgiving. “I’m honored to take Mr Whittredge’s position and I’m glad he’s able to take the time he needs to be with his family,” Gerow said in a brief statement to The Saugus Advocate. “I surely can’t fi ll his shoes but I’ll work as hard as I can for the children and parents of Saugus,” she said. One of the first orders of business expected when the School Committee meets next week is to elect a new chair to fi ll the remaining 18 months of Whittredge’s unexpired term. School Committee ViceChair Vincent A. Serino is the most-likely replacement, as he finished second in last fall’s School Committee race with 2,021 — 69 votes behind Whittredge. As a courtesy, the top two vote-getters in local elections usually assume the GETTING HER CHANCE: Leigh Gerow fi nished 68 votes behind the fi fth-place fi nisher in last fall’s town election for a seat on the School Committee. But she received enough votes to serve the final 18 months of former School Committee Chair Thomas R. Whittredge’s two-year term after he resigned last week. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) chair and vice-chair positions. School Committee Member John Hatch fi nished with 1,846, followed by Ryan Fisher (1,807) and Joseph “Dennis” Gould (1,661). During last fall’s campaign, Gerow cited her experience as a sign language interpreter and local Girl Scout leader as invaluable if she were elected. “I am motivated to run for this position because of the gap I see in representation on the board,” Gerow said in her candidate’s announcement. “I believe I would bring a unique set of qualifi cations to the position of School Committee Member. As a Mom, I understand the needs of children in the school and as a Sign Language Interpreter, I am sensitive to students with a range of abilities and communication styles,” she said. “In addition, I currently serve as a Saugus Girl Scout Leader for grades K-2, working directly with our youth and can transfer these experiences to my work with the School Committee. I have experience advocating for children and have worked with Town Meeting members to ensure a safer Town Hall.” Originally from Somerville, she graduated from Somerville High School in 1993 and from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language (ASL)/English Interpreting in 2000. She’s lived in Saugus for six years with her husband Christopher and their seven-yearold daughter Lilly. She has worked as a freelance ASL Interpreter for 21 years, working primarily at Boston University for the past 12 years. “Our educational climate is changing and along with it, our population of students,” Gerow said. “It is vital to me that we create a safe and fair learning environment for students from all backgrounds. I would work passionately to make sure that every child is The COVID-19 Update Town reports 99 newly confi rmed cases over the past week; no new deaths By Mark E. Vogler T here were 99 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past seven days through Wednesday (May 18), according to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree. This week’s positive COVID cases reported to the town by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) increased the overall total to 9,082 confi rmed cases, according to Crabtree. There have been more than 300 confi rmed cases over the past fi ve weeks, as the virus continues to hang around — causing some people to continue wearing masks at Town Hall even though they are optional. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-related deaths reported since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in March of 2020 remained at 90. Ten weeks ago, total Saugus deaths related to COVID-19 were listed at 106. But that number was reduced to 88 because of a change in the guidelines used by health offi cials. “Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this health pandemic,” Crabtree said. Meanwhile, there was a slight drop in confi rmed COVID-19 cases reported throughout Saugus Public Schools, going from 39 last week (during the period of May 5-11) to 33 this week (during the period of May 12 -18). The town’s Public Health Nurse, Teresa Riley-Singh, told the Board of Health at last week’s meeting (May 9) that there were 243 confi rmed COVID-19 cases reported in Saugus last month. “I do not think that 243 is accurate because a lot of people are testing at home,” she said. But she noted that there were no deaths over the month. “I think it’s great,” she said. In April of 2020, there were 288 confi rmed COVID-19 cases and 31 deaths reported in Saugus, according to Riley-Singh. In April of last year, there were 244 confi rmed COVID-19 cases and two deaths related to the virus, she said. Riley-Singh told the Board of Health that health offi cials are expecting “a surge in a couple of months.” The positive news, she stressed, is that the number of COVID-19-related deaths has declined sharply. recognized and their needs met,” she said. Gerow fi nished sixth in the School Committee race last fall — 68 votes behind Gould. But she fi nished 429 votes ahead of last place fi nisher and veteran School Committee Member Arthur Grabowski. Back in 2017, Saugus voters elected four women to the School Committee.
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