SAUGUS — Selectman Michael Serino and Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Michael Hashem met with the Finance Committee to brief them on Article 10 ahead of the second night of Town Meeting and expound upon how funds would be utilized if Article 10 passes at Town Meeting.
Article 10, which the committee ruled in favor of presenting at Town Meeting, would see that $500,000 is transferred from the Supplemental Student Support Reserve Fund to go towards after-school activities at Saugus Public Schools, which would include after-school programming, tutoring, and other enrichment activities.
Hashem said that the town had already piloted a program which are in a similar vein to what they are hoping to utilize the funds for at the Belmonte STEAM Academy over this past year.
Hashem said that the goal of the programs would be to “get the students that traditionally don’t take part in extracurricular activities,” but even with students that do participate in those activities already, these funds and programs would allow the district the ability to expand what is currently offered, with programming that is “both academically impactful, as well as socially and emotionally impactful.”
Hashem said that a particularly “big ticket” item that there has been large interest in at the middle school level is robotics.
“We have a robotics program at the Belmonte (STEAM Academy), and we would like to expand that ’cause every year we have the kids come before the School Committee, and showcase what they did in the robotics competition,” Hashem said.
Hashem additionally said that although certain things they’re looking to do with the funds in these programs are not necessarily “big ticket,” he said that while they are not “100% academic,” they still help to reinforce academic skills, saying that something like teaching keyboarding skills would be beneficial for students who utilize Chromebooks during school.
“They’re good with two thumbs on the phone, but they struggle to do basic keyboarding,” Hashem said. “It’s something they need to develop skills with.”
Serino said that a large majority of the programs lean towards the educational side, helping to provide services like tutoring, which are “the things that these kids need help with, that maybe they’re not getting after school, or they’re not getting what they need in the classroom.”
“So I think when you look at what we’re trying to build here, I think it’s to get the kids engaged,” Serino said.
Article 10, which would approve funding for these programs, is expected to be voted on at the continuation of the Town Meeting.
