Board revises school building naming policy

SAUGUS – The school building naming policy has been changed, but the way is not necessarily paved for the high school auditorium to be renamed the Nancy M. Lemoine-Jerome J. Mitchell Performing Arts Auditorium.The Lemoine-Mitchell Performing Arts Group appeared before the School Committee Oct. 10 to ask for an amendment to the policy, which only allowed for naming a school building (or part of it) in “extraordinary circumstances” to avoid excluding anyone who contributed to Saugus schools. Group representatives wanted the policy changed to include individuals with a lifetime achievement in the school system so that former performing arts teachers Nancy Lemoine and Jerome Mitchell could be considered.In a meeting Thursday, the Policy Subcommittee decided to make the policy more flexible to include individuals with a lifetime of achievement, but they were concerned that it would open the floodgates for nominations of people to name the buildings after.?Now all of a sudden you could get 100 people coming forward,” said Saugus High School principal Michael Hashem. He said his concern with changing the policy wasn?t the auditorium but a potential “case two,” with no procedure laid out to limit the qualifications of nominees.Chairman Rick Doucette said he was concerned with choosing the right legendary individual, so that generations down the line, students and parents would still feel recognition and pride in the name.Committee member Arthur Grabowski said he was uncomfortable that some teachers would end up excluded. “You can have a math or English teacher that teaches for 30 years that deserves some form of recognition, but because they are not in the public limelight, their contributions are not as prevalent at the same level.”Doucette said that could be countered with the idea of a teacher hall of fame that would honor dedicated Saugus teachers with a plaque.Doucette said he had received calls from people who supported the change, as well as those who didn?t, and added that some former School Committee members were against it because it makes it easier to say no.Though the policy has been changed, there is still much process ahead to name the auditorium. Doucette said the issue would be taken up after the election on Nov. 5, and following a petition to rename the auditorium, a subcommittee will be formed to accept requests and make a recommendation to the School Committee.?It should be a difficult process to name a school after somebody,” said Hashem. “There should be hurdles in the way.”