reaps rewards T Reading he Summer Reading Program is generating excitement every day at the Saugus Public Library, according to Amy Milton, head of children’s services at the library. Delving into books expands young, inquisitive minds. But the chance to win a wide range of rewards adds fun to the learning experience. “Read and Win this summer at the Saugus Library!” Milton said this week. “We are raffling off prizes from ice cream to mini golf.” “Among the prizes the kids won are tickets to Canobie Lake, books donated by the New Friends of Saugus Library, watercolors, vouchers for ice cream at Soc’s, Banana Splitz, Paradise Mini Golf, and Saugus McDonald’s. We have many prizes to give away,” she said. There are prizes galore for kids who spend some time this summer at the Saugus Public library THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 12, 2024 ASKS| FROM PAGE 8 Page 9 edge I have to try to help the Saugus Middle-High School, particularly on the High School side, and help them continue to go in a positive direction. I wanted less stress in my life, and this is something I am doing for my hometown. Q: How did this career change evolve? A: I saw the opening postDaniel Doherty, 8, Belmonte Steam Academy (Courtesy Photo of Amy Milton) ed. I thought about what would change in my life. I did a year of teaching at the High School early in my career. A lot of people don’t get this opportunity, and I feel I can come back to a place that matters in my life. The Saugus Middle-High School should be a place where people in town should be happy to have their children go. Q: For an educator at this stage in your career, it sounds like a dream come true. A: Yes. I feel very happy to be here. I can walk to work. I can ride my bike to work. I did a test run on my bike and it’s 12 minutes. I really love the idea of coming back and being a part of the Saugus School District again, and I’m happy to help in the best ways I know how. Right when I got out of college, I taught in the old Saugus High School for a year. Q: As you look back on your education career, what do you consider your greatest accomplishment? What are you most proud of? A: Every school district Grace Whitehurst, 9, Belmonte Steam Academy (Courtesy Photo of Amy Milton) ly donated! We’ll have a full prize cart plus free books to give away. In addition, we’ll run drawings for ice cream, donuts, cookies, pizza, roller skating, bowling, mini golf, sports merch, and grand prize drawings for tickets to Canobie Lake Park and the North Shore Music Theater’s production of Beauty and the Beast - and more! In addition, there will be special visits by WildLife Encounters, Vinny the Bubble Guy, the Saugus Fire & Police Departments, Star Wars characters, Toe Jam Puppet Band, plus bubble, magic, and puppet shows. Check out the Library’s online event calendar for up-to-date information. The library is here to help families create a summer reading routine that is fun for kids and their families. Turn off the media Nina Yassin, 4 (Courtesy Photo of Amy Milton) SUMMER READING | FROM PAGE 5 before bedtime, sit with a child, share a book, or read alongside them. Ask them questions, but above all, make it fun! Research shows that children who read during the summer months maintain literacy skills that they’ve worked hard to build during the school year. According to Reading Rockets.org, research with 116 first, second, and third graders in a school in a middle class neighborhood found the decoding skills of nearly 45% of the participants and the fluency of 25% declined between May and September. So, stay smart! Have fun! Stop by the library to register for summer reading, or to find a just-right book for your child. It’s all free, all summer at the Saugus Public Library! I’ve worked in, I’ve had an opportunity to make CAMPAIGNING FOR A NEW VOKE SCHOOL: In early 2022, then-Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School Principal/Deputy Director Carla Scuzzarella held a sign outside the Saugus Senior Center, urging her hometown voters to support the construction of a new Voke school in Wakefield. She spent eight years as the number two administrator at The Voke, which serves a dozen communities – including Saugus. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) some changes and add to the education of children in whatever building I was in. I have spent most of my career as an administrator and taught for 14 years. One of the things I was most proud of at North Andover High School was rebuilding the Fine Arts program, which had been decimated by budget cuts in the late 1990s. When they opened a brand-new buildJ& • Reliable Mowing Service • Spring & Fall Cleanups • Mulch & Edging • Sod or Seed Lawns • Shrub Planting & Trimming • Water & Sewer Repairs Joe Pierotti, Jr. ing in 2003, there were four empty arts rooms. I brought in two music teachers. One did band and one did chorus. The band has over 100 students and the chorus has over 200. That’s something I was really proud of. And the business education program grew when I was there. Then when I was at NorthASKS | SEE PAGE 11 S LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. Masonry - Asphalt • Brick or Block Steps • Brick or Block Walls • Concrete or Brick Paver Patios & Walkways • Brick Re-Pointing • Asphalt Paving www.JandSlandscape-masonry.com • Senior Discount • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured 617-389-1490 Designing and Constructing Ideas that are “Grounds for Success” Landscaping
10 Publizr Home