School board eyes new health teacher

SAUGUS – School Committee members felt there was a hole in the 2014-2015 proposed budget without a middle school wellness teacher.Committee member Jeannie Meredith said she was willing to plow snow off the sidewalks of Saugus schools if it meant getting a wellness teacher at Belmonte Middle School. Meredith said she was shocked to see that a wellness teacher had not been added as a line item with only one physical education teacher for Belmonte students.Meredith said she felt middle school was a critical age to be educated on wellness topics. “It?s not just about substance abuse – it?s about self esteem, dietary issues, promiscuity, bullying, cyber bullying ? there?s a whole slew of things we need to educate them on. We should be preparing them for high school,” said Meredith. “A lot of people think bullying isn?t a big deal, but it can ruin their lives at this age.”Meredith told Chairman Wendy Reed that the discussion had been an ongoing topic on the Wellness Advisory Committee and she was surprised it wasn?t included in the budget. “I thought we were moving in that direction,” she added.Superintendent Michael Tempesta said health teachers had been the subject of “tough conversations” in administration meetings. “We?re in the fifth year of trying to get an adjustment counselor now, at the cost of something else,” he said. “We?re here to prioritize.”The proposed budget presented at Thursday?s meeting was $28,973,733.Geoff Bruno, executive director of curriculum, instruction and accountability, said the district would have to be creative in adding services for the students without asking for another position “knowing we may not ultimately get it” once budget reductions take place.Committee member Arthur Grabowski offered to cut the line item of $40,000 for a new four-wheel drive truck and “plow package,” saying the truck that the town owned was not old enough to purchase a new one.Reed explained that the school?s parking lots needed to be plowed so custodial staff could get in to clean on snowy mornings.?Is it a top priority over some things? No,” said Reed on the plowing item. “Over other things, yes.”When the committee paused its discussion to allow for public comment, it won support from Town Meeting member Jean Bartolo and one other resident, who both asked that the committee rearrange the budget to allow for the salary of an additional health teacher.Ultimately, Meredith moved to amend the budget to ask for $45,000 to be put aside for a health education teacher but did not amend the plowing item. Her motion was approved and passed unanimously.The committee approved the rest of Tempesta?s budget. Next it will go before the Board of Selectmen for its approval.