Community support sought for new Saugus High School

SAUGUS – While most districts choose to hide their flaws, Saugus is airing them out in the open to show the community and the state how dire the need is for a new high school.The School Committee is hosting a scavenger hunt Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the high school for town residents to come and spot the dangers, violations and general disrepair of the building so the committee can rally support from a united town for a new building.?It?s not like we?re crying wolf, it?s fact-based,” said committee member Vincent Serino. “Go in the gym and look at lights with the chains on them to keep them from falling down.”The hunt will feature one portion in which participants will have to get around using crutches and wheelchairs to show how difficult navigating the school can be while disabled.?You never know what you?re going to find,” said Chairman Wendy Reed.Engineering architect Edward Frenette, who has worked on schools for the Massachusetts School Building Authority, joined the committee that included the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager Scott Crabtree, Town Meeting members, Rep. Donald Wong and high school administration on Monday to assist them on the statement of interest to the MSBA for a new high school, due April 11.Frenette?s original assessment on the high school?s status was good news. “Based on the content you have to draw from, there?s no reason you shouldn?t be successful,” he said. “Your school is in more need than other folks who have been approved.”However, Frenette cautioned the committee on how much emphasis they put on the health and safety concerns of the building. While he agreed Saugus High School was “old and tired,” he said it was his perception that “the building should be “near falling down” in order to check the box for health and safety concerns.But committee members disagreed. “We?re warranted in moving in that direction, and it?s consistent in other SOIs we?ve looked at,” said Crabtree, who noted that the fire systems were not up to code.Saugus High Principal Michael Hashem read a list of 18 items that were noted during a recent inspection of the building?s disability accessibility, with violations in every room in the building, from large cracks in the parking lot to the ramps in the auditorium.Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian said he could provide anyone who wishes with a copy of the report. “The public needs to hear what?s wrong with the building,” said Manoogian.?It may not be pleasant to hear but its true ? and in order to get a new school that?s the reality of it,” said Dever on the school?s violations.Crabtree said the town has “made strides” to correcting some of the school?s problems, but 60 years of wear and tear made it difficult to keep up. “Like Ms. Dever said, this isn?t the best news we want to hear ? but we?re trying to compel them to come out and do a walk through.”Frenette said one of the top requirements that the MSBA looked for was “political will” in a particular town – whether or not town voters would approve paying for a new school once the state agreed to partner in it. But Frenette said looking around the room at the school administration building, he said the attendance made it “look very different” than the last time he has been there.?As far as political will, it?s right here,” said Serino.Crabtree said the energy assessments conducted at the high school would be submitted in the days to follow, and he was close to finding an independent agency to conduct the security assessment. The joint committee will meet again March 31, with a vote on the statement of interest April 3.Frank Woods, the science, technology, Eengineering and math director for the high school, told the writing committee it would be best to have the full draft ready to submit by next Monday evening. “It?s like writing a term paper in high school. It?s down to knuckle time,” he said.