Saugus High audit results ‘no surprise’ to some parents

SAUGUS – Some parents in Saugus are saying they’re not surprised at the results of a recent audit into the high school student activity account and how it was handled by Principal Joseph Diorio.”It’s absolutely no surprise that he was doing this,” said Pattie Stockwell, who had kids graduate from Saugus High School. “I’m not one bit surprised ? He was just such a terrible principal and on top of the fact it appears he was a thief ? I can just imagine what he did with all that money if they found 1,000 bucks in a drawer ?”Diorio was placed on paid leave in December pending the outcome of the audit, although it’s unclear what action the School Committee or Superintendent Richard Langlois may take.The audit, performed by Wakefield-based firm Powers & Sullivan, details nearly $17,000 in “questioned” stipends paid to Diorio since 2006 along with “non-compliant” payments from the student activity account dating back 20 years.The audit mentions fines charged to students who came to school without their identification badges. These fines are paid in cash, and the audit states more than $1,000 in cash was found in a file cabinet from these fines when the audit started in December.”There were no records maintained that documented and controlled the cash collected or cash balance held,” said the audit.”Shame on the School Committee,” said Stockwell. “For many years they’ve known. Everybody has known. I hope most of them get voted out.”Diorio had been absent from the high school starting before Christmas break, leading parents and students to question what happened to the long-time principal. Some students even hung mock “missing” posters around town.Superintendent Richard Langlois was silent on Diorio’s whereabouts until he finally released a statement on Jan. 9 stating he was placed on paid leave on Dec. 18 “pending the conclusion of an inquiry into the management of certain financial and other affairs of Saugus High School.”Langlois has not commented on the issue since and could not be reached Friday.Diorio, whose contract paid him $117,780 this year, released a statement on Jan. 10 defending himself saying, “I have worked diligently to manage the student activity checking account by strictly adhering to the local administrative procedures prescribed and state law requirements as I understand them.”Diorio could not be reached for comment Friday.Melissa Martin has a son in high school and another who graduated last year. Martin also said she wasn’t surprised by the audit.”I feel like Mr. Diorio probably didn’t create the financial culture in Saugus, but I think over the years he probably took full advantage of the climate that was overly-permissive,” said Martin. “As a parent, the most important thing in the world to me is my children and their experience and the education they get. I’ve met many, many educators who extend themselves and invest in their students ? Mr. Diorio has not been that type of educator, at least not in my experience at Saugus High School.”Since Diorio was placed on leave, Martin said she’s seen a “much more positive environment.””I don’t hear about the fines being collected over-zealously,” she said. “I think the appointment of Mr. (Jason) Merrill as acting principal was a good decision because he’s much more invested as an educator.”Martin said she wishes the audit came out differently, but hoped there can be some “strong lessons” to be learned.”Hopefully moving forward, whatever they’re implementing can only be a good thing,” she said. “Reading the audit is really upsetting to me. There are some administrators that go above and beyond and if there are stipends available for hard-working educators, I’m all for that. That’s not been the case in this scenario.”Town Manager Scott Crabtree, who authorized the audit on Dec. 28, said Friday that having the student activity accounts audited was about “getting things in compliance.””And to make sure we’re following state law and rules and regulations for financing,” sai