Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 4 buildings down to three, from outdated facilities to state of the art, in the middle of leading us through a global pandemic, during a tough budget year, while avoiding the widespread layoffs that were common in other districts.” The vicious body politic of Saugus can wear you down if you hang around long enough. Indeed, DeRuosi deserves some criticism for the scathing District Review and the substandard MCAS testing scores which contributed to the Middle and High Schools being targeted for intervention by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. But DeRuosi – like most elected and appointed town officials who toiled through the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic – deserves praise for persevering as a public servant during stressful and challenging times of the Coronavirus. And the best thing that can be said about Dr. DeRuosi is that he lobbied hard to get the town to vote for the funding for a new Saugus Middle-High School and the consolidation of seven school buildings into three. When Saugus residents take time to appreciate that nice, new complex, they should thank Dr. DeRuosi for efforts on that project. In presenting the retiring superintendent with his honorary Saugus High diploma last Friday night, Saugus High School Principal Michael Hashem credited Dr. DeRuosi with leading the School District “in a complete overhaul.” “He’s done a tremendous amount for the school system and the students of Saugus.” Hashem then gave the superintendent a bear hug. “Shout-Outs” are also in order for these retiring staff who also received honorary diplomas: • Chemistry Teacher Carl Piepora, who spent 19 years in Saugus Public Schools • High School Clerk Donna Anderson – who spent 34 years in Saugus Public Schools – the last eight as Hashem’s principal clerk. “She has an institutional knowledge that will be missed by everyone,” Hashem told the crowd at Friday’s 150th Commencement Exercises. • Teacher Valerie Sorensen, who spent seven years in the Belmonte Middle School, seven years in the Saugus High School and the past year in the new Saugus Middle-High School. “Valerie is a dedicated teacher and a true friend,” Hashem said. A Town Meeting Distraction – and disgrace Precinct 10 Town Meeting Members Peter Delios and Peter Manoogian took Precinct 9 Town Meeting Member John S. Cottam to task at Monday’s night’s final session of this year’s Annual Town Meeting. It wasn’t clear to me what Cottam apparently said to draw the ire of Delios and Manoogian. But, apparently, it was a derogatory comment uttered while Manoogian had the floor, and it was very disruptive. In a scathing attack on Cottam, Delios noted that “Our people voted for us … not for kids” to be calling fellow Town Meeting members names and ridiculing them. Town Moderator Steve Doherty told Delios “I couldn’t agree with you more.” Then he went on to blame it as a byproduct of Zoom videoconference meetings, which have been marked with frequent offhand comments and interruptions. Delios went on to say that the voting public should be outraged for a Town Meeting member to be making a mockery of the process. “I’d boot that guy,” Delios said. All Town Meeting members should be embarrassed whenever they hear one of their own interrupting their proceedings with disparaging remarks. It’s rude. It’s nonproductive. It’s polarizing. It’s an affront to the spirit of the New England Town Meeting that this kind of conduct is tolerated. If Cottam said what Delios and Manoogian allege, he owes Saugus residents and his colleagues a public apology. It’s the kind of conduct that adds to the longtime, notorious reputation of the divisive Saugus body politic. Want to “Shout-Out” a fellow Saugonian? This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out – in a brief mention – 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. Learn to recognize the signs of Alzheimer’s The Saugus Public Library will be teaming up with the Woburn Chamber of Commerce on Monday (June 14) to offer some guidance to folks who are interested in knowing more about Alzheimer’s and other dementia that cause memory, thinking and behavior problems which interfere with daily living. A free informational program will be offered via Zoom videoconferencing. To register, call the 24/7 Helpline at 800-2723900 or log on to the library’s website (sauguspubliclibrary.org) to register online. The Alzheimer’s Association developed the new 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s education program to help people recognize common signs of the disease and know what to watch for in themselves and others. The one-hour program: • Explores typical age-related changes • Describes common signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia • Offers tips for how to approach someone about memory concerns • Explains the importance of early detection and benefits of diagnosis • Details possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process • Identifies helpful Alzheimer’s Association resources Let’s hear it for strawberries! The Saugus Historical Society will hold its annual strawberry festival at the American Legion Hall on June 19 in conjunction with the Saugus Garden Club plant sale. Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake will be served in the American Legion Hall (44 Taylor St.) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with hot dogs, chips and drinks. Shortcakes are $5.00 each and can be eaten on the premises or taken out. Hot dogs are $2.00, water THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 7
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