Updated policy would allow naming of Saugus school spaces for individuals

SAUGUS – A plan to name the Saugus High School auditorium after late drama teacher Nancy Lemoine took a step closer to fruition Thursday night, as the School Committee held a first reading of an updated policy that would allow the naming of school spaces in “extraordinary circumstances.”The current policy prohibits the naming of school spaces after individuals, however, the policy subcommittee voted recently to recommend changing it after more than 400 people signed a petition in favor of it.The updated policy also stipulates a subcommittee would be formed to evaluate potential namings.The School Committee will hold two more readings before voting on the policy.The School Committee also discussed some discrepancies with the district?s food service contract with Aramark Thursday night.School Committee member Arthur Grabowski said the committee was under the impression Aramark would make a financial commitment of $119,000 to the district when the contract was signed last year and renewed recently. However, it turns out the contract stipulates that it is to be repaid by the district.?This is not sitting well with me,” said Grabowski. “Something is fishy in this whole deal. We were presented a bill of goods and that bill of goods is different from what we took home.”School Committee Vice Chairman Corinne Riley, who chairs the Food Service Subcommittee, also noted that in her minutes from last year, the committee chose Aramark because of the “perks.”?In those minutes, I wrote that they were to give us the van and they were to give us the money for tables at the high school … that?s why we went with them because no one else gave us any perks,” she said.In other business, committee member Frederick Doucette updated the committee on the district?s social media policy, noting the policy subcommittee will look at the one used by Danvers as a model for Saugus? own policy.In his update to the committee, Superintendent Michael Tempesta said an audit into the Belmonte Middle School student activity accounts should be ready in a couple of weeks and he will hold a joint presentation on results soon.The committee also held a moment of silence for former longtime Saugus High School teacher and football coach Bernie Stead, who died recently at the age of 91.?He will be missed,” said Grabowski. “He was a stalwart in the Saugus Public Schools for many years.”