Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 14, 2022 THE SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 17 tion to the School Committee members and Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Erin McMahon on the relevance of all those numbers. Only one of the School Committee members responded. Committee Chair Vincent Serino gave a concise overview comment. Several committee members told me they didn’t feel comfortable making a comment because they didn’t fully understand the meaning of all of those numbers, which is understandable. The fact is most of our readers can’t make heads or tails of MCAS scores. That’s why reporters like myself spend hours and hours looking at those numbers. When I worked at The Eagle Tribune newspaper in North Andover, I often drew the assignment nobody wanted. The consolation was, I had eight hours before the deadline to study the numbers and then do a few interviews once I understood the numbers. For last week’s front-page story, I was fortunate enough to get a quick response from Superintendent McMahon’s office, along with some written analysis to prepare me for a 15-minute interview. By the time the interview came, I understood the numbers I was reading. And it looked like COVID-19 had taken a toll on most school districts throughout the state, especially in the language arts. And overall, Saugus mirrored what was going on in the state and did even worse in most categories, which is understandable. The district is among the low-scoring school districts in the state – and after this year’s MCAS results, Saugus still ranks in the bottom quarter of schools. But after talking to the superintendent, I looked at the numbers a little differently. She actually presented an interesting perspective on MCAS analytics that few people can comprehend. I told the superintendent at the outset that I was interested in the best way I could present the MCAS numbers in a simplified format so the average reader could understand. And I was skeptical about how she would be positive and proud about the MCAS results. She asked me if I ever watched the movie “Moneyball.” She said it was one of her favorite movies. I enjoyed the popular 2011 movie, too. The film, starring actor Brad Pitt as Oakland A’s manager Billy Beane, is based on a true story that essentially revolutionized the way baseball executives with tight budget – and some with big bucks – construct winning baseball teams economically: taking flawed, but talented, average players and using the percentages of certain situations to maximize their strengths. Supt. McMahon used “Moneyball” as an analogy to make her case about MCAS scores as they relate to Saugus Public Schools. And she used the obscure and seldom-used data about growth to make her point that although the percentage of Saugus students meeting or exceeding expectations had declined, there was substantial growth to report among the nonperforming students. These latest MCAS scores sum up the superintendent’s first year of a five-year plan to move Saugus Public Schools from the bottom 10 percent to the top 10 percent in the state. Instead of 10 percent, it looks like the academically challenged Middle and High Schools have moved up into the 20 percent area. So, by trying to understand the superintendent’s argument, it sure does look like improvement in the lower performing students. Because COVID-19 contributed to a gap in the MCAS scores, it’s hard to compare this year’s scores with the more recent ones. The fair thing to do would be to use this as a starting point and measure it against the MCAS scores released next year at this time. Stay tuned. Legion breakfasts Saugus American Legion Post 210 is hosting its popular breakfasts from 8 - 9 a.m. on Fridays. The price is $8 for those who are looking for a delicious meal at Legion Hall. Bon appétit! A chance to vote early The Town Clerk’s Office has posted the early voting hours for the Nov. 8 general election on the town website. The First Week of Early Voting Saturday, October 22 – 9 am to 3 p.m. No Sunday Monday, October 24 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, October 25 – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 26 – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, October 27 – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, October 28 – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Second Week of Early Voting Saturday, October 29 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last day to register to vote) No Sunday Monday, October 31 – 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 1 – 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 2 – 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, November 3 – 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 4 – 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Comedy at The Kowloon The Kowloon Restaurant brings back comedy starting today (Friday, Oct. 14 with Mark Riley and next Friday (Oct. 21) with Jimmy Dunn. Tickets are $20 and show time is 8 p.m. at the Kowloon Restaurant on Route 1 North in Saugus. For tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077. Here’s a little background about the comedians: Mark Riley was born and raised in Boston and coauthored the movie script “Penalty Box” based on his life in pro hockey. He is currently publishing his first book and has many television appearances, including NESN and Dirty Water TV. And to further impress you, he was a finalist in the 2016 Boston Comedy Festival. Jimmy Dunn is an actor and stand-up comedian from Boston who recently co-starred on the CBS comedy “The McCarthys” as Sean McCarthy. He got his start in the comedy world telling jokes at a bar in Gloucester, Mass., where he was paid in beer and fried clams. If you’ve got any kind of funny bone, you might check out one or both of these October performances. Fall Curbside Leaf Collection Dates The Town of Saugus announced that fall curbside leaf collection will take place during the weeks of Oct 24–28, Nov. 14–18 and Nov. 28–Dec. 2. Residents may dispose of leaves curbside on their regularly scheduled collection day. Leaves should be left outside by 7 a.m. on the appropriate days. Please ensure that leaf containers are physically separated from trash and recycling. Paper leaf bags are the preferred method of leaf disposal. If you are using barrels, they must be clearly marked with yard waste stickers. Barrel covers must remain removed so that the leaves are visible. Plastic bags, cardboard boxes, branches and brush will not be accepted. Please note that separate trucks collect the rubbish, recycling and leaves, so the leaves may be collected at a different time of day. “Missed pick-ups” will not be conducted. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Residents are invited to dispose of their household hazardous waste in an environmentally responsible manner during a collection event on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. This event will be held at the Belmonte Upper Elementary School located at 25 Dow St. This year will be a contactless event; there will be no preregistration. Residents must stay in their vehicles and hold up a driver’s license, and all materials must be placed in the trunk or rear of the vehicle. The rain-or-shine event will allow residents to dispose of a series of household waste products, including rubber cement, airplane glue, fiberglass resins, aerosol cans, photo chemicals, furniture polish, floor and metal polish, oven cleaner, drain and toilet cleaner, spot remover, rug and upholstery cleaner, hobby and artist supplies, photography chemicals, turpentine and chemistry sets. The following garage supplies will also be accepted: fuel, gasoline, kerosene, engine degreaser, brake fluid, carburetor cleaner, transmission fluid, car wax, polishes, driveway sealer, car batteries, antifreeze, cesspool cleaners, roofing tar, swimming pool chemicals, motor oil and car batteries. Accepted workbench waste includes oilbased paints, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, paint strippers or thinners, solvent adhesives and lighter fluid. Residents may also bring the following yard waste: weed killer, chemical fertilizers, flea control products, moth balls, poisons, insecticides, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Residents are urged to take caution when transporting household hazardous materials. Locals may do so by keeping the materials in their original containers, tightening caps and lids, sorting and packing products separately and packing containers in sturdy upright boxes padded with newspaper. Please remember never to mix chemicals or to smoke while handling hazardous materials. The hazardous household waste collection will not accept commercial waste. Residents will be limited to two carloads, the equivalent of 50 pounds or 50 gallons, of hazardous waste. The following items will not be accepted: empty containers or trash, latex paint, commercial or industrial waste, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, infectious and biological wastes, ammunition, fireworks, explosives, fire extinguishers or syringes. TVs, computers and car tires may be recycled at the dropoff site located at 515 Main St. on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Town of Saugus would like to thank everyone for their cooperation. Please contact Jeannie Meredith at 781-2314111 with any questions. What’s happening at the Saugus Public Library For schoolchildren looking for interesting projects and programs to participate in this fall, there’s plenty to do at the Saugus Public Library. Just Sew! Saugonians are welcome to join a monthly sewing class for adults that will be held the third Monday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of Saugus Public Library. The next meeting is Monday, Oct. 17. The class will cover basic topics like sewing buttons, hemming clothing and mending torn fabric and will move on to more advanced topics in the coming weeks. This class is free. (See sauguspubliclibrary. org) A neat, new teen club: The Manga & Anime Club began recently. And, from all accounts, it’s a lot of fun for kids in Grades 6 and up. So, if you are curious, check out the Teen Room. Chat with friends! Make crafts! Try Japanese snacks! Club meetings will continue on Saturdays, through May, from 10-11 a.m. They will be held on Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, Feb. 4, March 4, April 1 and May 13. Please sign up in advance; call 781-231-4168 or stop by the Reference Desk. https:// www.sauguspubliclibrary.org/ new-manga-anime-club.../ Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St., Saugus, Mass. Youth Cross Country Hey, parents! If you have any children who could use an opportunity to get into a healthier lifestyle – which might, in turn – lead to better academic scores, consider getting them to sign up for Youth Cross Country. Here’s a simple outline of what this entails. Who: any Saugus child in grades 1 through 5. When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. at the Belmonte Track; Saturdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Visitor Center at Breakheart Reservation. Dates: The program will last through Nov. 15. Why: to learn to enjoy Cross Country Running and make new friends. Cost: $100 for new runners; $50 for returning runners. THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 19
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