Saugus forms superintendent search board

SAUGUS – The Saugus School Committee chose six people to serve on the superintendent search committee.The committee received 23 letters of interest and chose six names at random Thursday from a bowl, with two selections each from three categories: parent/resident, administrator and employee.The committee chose parent/residents Carla Scuzzarella and Kevin Shaw, Guidance Director Leanne Matolla and Veterans Elementary School Principal Jean Perry from the administrator category, and Kristen Shipulski, a special education teacher at the Waybright Elementary School, and Head Custodian Rick Fioravnti from the employee category.Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said people “have to commit time to it.”?I?m not interested in having someone come to one meeting and make a recommendation in the end,” said Reed.The School Committee will meet with the search committee March 21 and will meet on March 28 at 4 p.m. to pre-screen superintendent applicants. Reed said she has received 10 applications so far.After picking the search committee, the School Committee met for its regular meeting, where Superintendent Richard Langlois said a committee has been formed to write a draft of a statement of interest for a new high school.?It?s on target. I?d like to sign off on it if everything goes well by the first few days of April,” said Langlois.Langlois said the school department will review its proposed budget with the Finance Committee on March 20 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.In other business, Finance Director Pola Andrews said the district-wide heating bill for January was $30,000, while School Committee Vice Chairman Corinne Riley said a coordinator has stepped up to run a new adult education program. Reed said she?s excited to see the program moving forward.However, School Committee member Arthur Grabowski said he wants the program to be self-sufficient and not be funded from the school department budget.School Committee member Frederick Doucette said he?s hoping the Saugus Business Education Collaborative can donate money to help get the program off the ground.?I think it?s an important program,” said Doucette. “This is a good idea to try to secure the program without risking the (Local Education Account).”The committee also voted to put out a request for proposal for the district?s busing contract.As the audit into the high school and middle school student activity accounts continues, Reed said she did not have an update.?We were told it should be repeated within a couple of weeks, which is I think what was said at the last meeting,” she said.?And I think the meeting before that ?” added Doucette.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].