Saugus board discusses new high school deadlines

SAUGUS – The Saugus School Committee met for a rare afternoon meeting Thursday to further discuss plans for a new high school.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said the timeline to submit a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority will be “difficult” because the MSBA hasn?t set a date yet for submissions.?My idea is to gather as much information as possible so we?re prepared,” said Reed.?Town Meeting overwhelmingly supported this. That tells you there?s support in the community and that?s changed from years ago.”Town Meeting voted over the summer to direct the School Committee to look into building a new high school. The vote came as a substitute motion for a vote on building new science labs at the high school.School Committee member Arthur Grabowski said he wants to make sure the SOI is submitted for this year.?We have two things in our favor,” said Grabowski. “One is the town meeting article to do it and the other is the electorate voting in favor of the Belmonte.”Superintendent Richard Langlois warned that even though Town Meeting voted to explore building a new high school, the MSBA may come up with a different project.?If the benchmark was to prove we need a new high school, we may not meet that, but we can submit an SOI,” said Langlois. “(Town Meeting has) to understand, we don?t control that. We may get a renovation in the end. Let?s face it, a renovation is a new school. Even if we submit it and get selected, it may not be a different building. It may be renovations and a repair or even some new sections of the building. It?s not for lack of trying, we?re going to try.”Langlois said he?s hoping Town Meeting will stand by its vote for a new school if a project does get approved in the future.In other business, the committee discussed the future of the Evans School.The Evans School sits on the corner of Winter Street and Central Street and currently houses the Shining Stars Learning Center, a private day center which has been leasing the building since 2007. With enrollment numbers increasing this year in the elementary level, Reed brought up the possibility of using the school next year, even though she said she doesn?t think it?s in suitable condition.?I want the superintendent to keep in mind, if we?re looking for additional space, notice would have to be given,” said Reed. “This committee needs to set a direction no later than December of what is the intent of the use of the building? We have an elementary crunch right now we may have to address.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].