Diorio back in Saugus

SAUGUS – Saugus Superintendent Richard Langlois clarified Thursday that High School Principal Joseph Diorio has been assigned to the Roby Building in “administration,” despite an earlier email to the School Committee stating he returned to work Thursday.”I can’t speak any more about that because it’s a personnel matter,” said Langlois after Thursday’s School Committee meeting.Langlois said Jason Merrill is still acting principal at the high school and Diorio is working in the administration building “for the time being.”An email from Langlois earlier in the day stated; “This is to inform you that the School District has concluded its investigation of matters related to Student Activity Funds and Mr. Diorio. Appropriate personnel action has been taken. Mr. Diorio has returned to work effective this date, May 30, 2013.”The email does not further elaborate on “appropriate personnel action” and Langlois would not comment further Thursday night.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said she was “surprised” Diorio was back.”It seemed like it was going down the road where he wasn’t coming back,” she said. “But I guess investigations take a long time.”Diorio was placed on paid administrative leave in December pending an audit into the high school student activities account, which found 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.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].