SAUGUS — The School Committee is moving forward with a proposal to access $250,000 in Chapter 70 money to fund a new after-school program at the Saugus Middle/High School Complex.
The committee plans to lobby the Finance Committee and, ultimately, Town Meeting for access to the funds set aside in a “Student Support Reserve Fund” crafted by Town Manager Scott Crabtree and approved by Town Meeting more than a year ago. At the time, Crabtree directed more than $3 million to the fund, and this spring added $1 million to it — bringing the total amount exceeding $4 million.
However, the committee has failed to move forward with any definitive proposals to access the funds — despite shaving $1.2 million off the budget first proposed by Superintendent Erin McMahon in January. A week after proposing her budget, McMahon was on paid administrative leave, a status she has remained in since. At the time, the committee suggested it would look into other funding sources — like Chapter 70 — to fill the gaps in the budget.
The funds would specifically be used to stipend an enrichment developer/coordinator, who would design and oversee the expansion of the district’s extracurricular programs. A copy of the proposal provided to The Item indicates that school officials are seeking to expand the hours at the complex to better serve students outside of school.
The money would also go towards providing additional staffing and resources to a number of specific programs, including middle and high school homework clubs, opening the gym, food, physical activities, opening the fitness center, and tutoring support services. The proposal also asks that other options related to technology and arts, to be developed and staffed by the new coordinator position, be funded through the fund. Activities related to technology, the arts, and social development games would be focused on the middle school.
The programs would require a person on duty to serve as an administrator in charge, and there would be no cost for students.
Specifically, the after-school programming would begin during the 2023-24 academic year and extend into summer 2024.
But it’s unclear when Town Meeting is next set to meet.
A pair of Special Town Meetings were held last fall — one each in October and November — though thus far this year, there has not been any talk of the body convening again. Town Meeting meets annually each May, but it seems the committee would want to move forward on the proposal before then.
School Committee Chair Vincent Serino said the committee would not be looking to call a special meeting and would submit the proposal for the warrant whenever Town Meeting next meets.
Curiously, the committee has repeatedly discussed proposals to access the fund in the past — with Serino telling The Item on more than one occasion that proposals would go to the floor of Town Meeting. Yet none have ever made it that far. In March, when FinCom met to review the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget, members also reviewed a slate of proposals crafted by district officials, including former Deputy Superintendent Margo Ferrick.
At the time, committee members appeared supportive of the uses — all of which would have covered one-time expenditures as the fund was set up to do — though the proposals never made it any further.
