Peabody schoolboard honors 13 lifesavers at meeting

PEABODY – School Committee members took a moment Tuesday night to honor the faculty and staff of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School who helped save the life of a student last month.Thirteen employees, including school nurses, security monitors, teachers, and deans, as well as Principal Ed Sapienza, were recognized for their “heroic lifesaving efforts” when a 16-year-old sophomore collapsed at his desk the morning of Dec. 5. Sapienza and others immediately performed CPR on the young boy until EMS arrived. The student was rushed to the Lahey Clinic, and then brought to Children’s Hospital where he remained in a coma for several days.”I’m very proud of all of you,” said Mayor Michael Bonfanti before handing out awards. “You really showed what you’re made of. You stepped up, stood tall, did your job, and did it well.”Bonfanti went on to personally thank Sapienza for his “exemplified leadership.””I’m proud of the example you showed,” he said.Superintendent Milton Burnett also spoke a few words of praise.”We’re celebrating probably one of our most positive moments of this school year,” he said. “(We’re) celebrating the ongoing life of one of our students.”The boy’s mother spoke before the Committee and thanked them four times over for helping her son survive.”I just did what I’d expect my children’ teachers to do in a time of crisis,” said Sapienza, who ironically had just taken a CPR refresher course the day before the incident. “I’m thrilled with the way this panned out.”Each staff member was given a Certificate of Commendation from the Committee and an honorary plaque from the City of Peabody.