Saugus schools hoping for extra $400G in aid

SAUGUS – Superintendent Richard Langlois said the schools will get a big boost in state aid if the current budget is passed on Beacon Hill.Langlois said Saugus will see an additional $400,000 in Ch. 70 education money and a $241,000 reduction in the vocational school assessment, and hopes that money will go back to the district if the town budget is balanced.?We?re $1.4 million short on our level service,” said Langlois. “There is some optimism ? It?s based on per pupil and that?s why you?re getting the money. It is for education.”Langlois also updated the committee on a meeting he had with Town Manager Scott Crabtree regarding three Town Meeting articles requesting money for various upgrades around the school.Langlois said a handicap ramp is being installed at the high school while the fire panel there is being repaired, and an issue with the heating and air condition system at the Veterans Elementary School is also being addressed.Langlois also noted there was “no appetite to support a district-wide master plan,” but said Crabtree suggested including the schools in a possible town-wide master plan.?It was a suggestion,” said Langlois. “There is no town capital plan ? I know he had an effort in the past to draft a capital plan ? He was hopeful in the fall to begin the process.”A motion to withdraw the three articles failed 2-2 after the Finance Committee voted Wednesday to recommend referring the articles back to the School Committee.Finance Director Pola Andrews said as of April 30, the district has spent $18.5 million of the school?s budget.?The district remains on target and approximately 28 percent of the budget remains for the remainder of the fiscal year,” said Andrews.However, Andrews noted some line items have been overspent, including transportation.Andrews also said preliminary work has begun on an audit of the Belmonte Middle School student activity accounts. Andrews, however, said she doesn?t have a timeline for completion of the audit.In other business, Langlois said the second annual spring fling for students with disabilities was a huge success once again, as students from Saugus joined students from surrounding communities at the Irish American Club in Malden.?It was an evening of fun and dancing. It was kind of like a prom-like event for them,” he said.Lastly, the committee accepted $2,457 from the Saugus Business Education Collaborative for new laptop computers at the high school and $700 from the Saugus High School alumni.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].