THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 12, 2025 Page 5 A parent’s petition for safety’s sake A The father of a fi fth grader is calling on Saugus school offi cials to change the school bus transportation policy PETITION | SEE PAGE 9 By Mark E. Vogler lfonso Ceciliano has organized a petition drive through the social media site Change.org in an eff ort to infl uence Saugus Public Schools offi cials to revise its school bus transportation policy. More than 70 people had signed the online petition by the deadline for this week’s edition of The Saugus Advocate. In addition, Ceciliano’s Letterto-the-Editor published in last week’s newspaper drew 28 hits – most of them favorable – on the Advocate Newspapers’ Facebook site. Ceciliano launched the campaign on behalf of his son Elias, “a bright fi fth grader at Belmonte STEAM Academy,” but said he was also taking a public stand for all the children of Saugus who currently don’t qualify to ride on the school bus. “We live 1.6 miles from the school, and because we fall just under the 2-mile eligibility threshold, he has been denied access to school transportation,” Ceciliano wrote in his petition. “As a family that currently faces fi nancial hardships, we cannot aff ord private transportation, leaving Elias’s education and safety in jeopardy,” Ceciliano continued. “Elias’s predicament is not an isolated case. Numerous families in Saugus, particularly those who are low-income or single-parent households, fi nd themselves in similarly dire situations,” he said. “They are forced to make diffi cult decisions between their chilGerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? A SAFETY CONCERN: Having their child denied a seat on the school bus has angered a growing number of parents of Saugus schoolage kids. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 SABATINO/MASTROCOLA INSURANCE AGENCY 519 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available Sabatino Insurance is proud to welcome the loyal customers of ALWAYS READY TO SERVE YOU: Our Staff are, Emma Davidson, Jeimy Sanchez, Josephine Leone, Marie D’Amore, Rocco Longo, Z’andre Lopez, Anthony DiPierro, Darius Goudreau, Laurette Murphy, Danielle Goudreau and Tina Davidson. PHONE: (617) 387-7466 FAX: (617) 381-9186 Visit us online at: WWW.SABATINO-INS.COM dren’s education and their
6 Publizr Home