Saugus super makes budget pitch for naught

SAUGUS – Superintendent Richard Langlois visited the Board of Selectmen Tuesday to make a pitch for his budget, which was unfortunate timing since the board voted last month to support Town Manager Andrew Bisignani’s proposed $23.5 million budget.Langlois spelled out the issues with the School Department that include, to name a few, flat-lined MCAS scores, deteriorating facilities, program needs that are so severe both the high school and the Belmonte Middle School fail to hit the state standard for offering “time on learning.” Time on learning is the number of hours a student is required to be in a teacher-directed classroom, which are 990 for the high school and 950 for the middle school.Langlois pulled out charts and graphs and spelled out the threat the high school will face next year when its accreditation comes up for renewal. And he talked about increases the department faces in busing homeless students and various student activities, along with an increase in class sizes, bleachers condemned by the state and a budget need that is greater than what Bisignani proposed but not as great as what was recommended by the state.What he got was a lot of verbal support but not much else.Langlois told the board he is looking to collaborate with town officials.”It’s why I am here tonight,” he said. “To work with you not against you.”He said he would be abdicating his responsibilities as a superintendent if he did not come before the board to advocate for his kids.”The town needs to make education a priority” he said, adding that it could get a start doing so by supporting his budget request of $25.9 million.He called the budget a step in the right direction, “It would be putting our finger in the dike to stop the bleeding a little bit, which is all we’re trying to do.”Selectman Stephen Castinetti admitted to Langlois that his son was one of the 800 students who have left the department for other educational ground but he would prefer to have him in the public school system.Castinetti said residents need to realize that the impact of failing to support the schools goes much further than deteriorating schools, it also leads to deteriorating property values.”We don’t want to pay for schools but we will pay one way or another,” he said. “I will support you anyway I can.”Selectman Michael Kelleher said he has long agreed that education should be funded up front, followed by Public Safety and town wide services although the town does not do it that way. In general Bisignani has level funded the School Department budget with the hopes of tossing another $800,000 its way to cover contractual increases.Langlois made it clear that Bisignani’s budget proposal wouldn’t cover a level service budget. He asked the board to simply digest his presentation and think about how it could help.”And if there are dollars and cents coming our way the sooner we know it the better.” he said.