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The Empowering Role that Principals Play

November 13, 2024

We are all in different places in our educational careers. Some of us are just starting high school, while others are getting ready to move on to college. But as we walk different paths forward, we have one thing that unites us; one thing that makes us all smile in the mornings, a constant presence in our lives. In the crowded hallways of AHS, we all can stand on common ground: our love of our new principal, Jimmy D’Andrea.

We believe he is the key to raising school spirit and community at AHS. This year will be filled with a continuation of the joy that Jimmy has brought so far, and we can’t wait to see it. His enthusiasm is infectious, as we see him show up game after game and concert after concert, Every morning when we hear Jimmy’s bright voice over the loudspeaker, when he shows up time and again to sports events, concerts, and club meetings, his love for AHS is clear. He has demonstrated true care and commitment to the student body, even in his admittedly short term, and we love him for it.

Jimmy’s legacy at AHS has just begun, and we can’t wait to see him continue to build the school community.

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Mrs. Breen Steps Up to New Ninth Grade Coordinator Job

November 13, 2024

MADDOX TO

STAFF WRITER

After 23 years of teaching in the Health Department at Andover High School, Holly Breen has recently taken up the role of 9th grade coordinator.

For 23 years before her new role, Breen taught 11th and 12th graders, taking a one-year break during her time as a health teacher to focus on taking care of her children. Breen has also been the senior class advisor since last year, and she said she’s “always really actively involved in the student body and other activities outside of teaching at school.”

The 9th grade coordinator job was created last year, offering a position that Breen read and thought fit her perfectly. “Working with a variety of stakeholders like parents and students and teachers and community members [sounded amazing]… I absolutely love that part of my job,” she said.

Joanna Ganci was hired as 9th grade coordinator last year. So in the time being, Breen decided to get her administration degree so that when the opportunity became available again, she would be ready to apply for it.

Due in part to perfect timing, Ganci changed roles this year to become an assistant principal, leaving Breen—now qualified with an administration degree—ready to take the job.

Breen is now participating in administrative meetings to get properly integrated and comfortable in her new job position.

“It’s hard right now because I’m really doing both jobs,” Breen said. “Although Mr. D’Andrea has been awesome about trying to not let me get too overwhelmed because [one of] my main priorities right now are my classes.”

“Mrs. Breen is an awesome addition to the office and our staff administration,” Principal Jimmy D’Andrea said. “She’s been working very hard for the past couple of weeks to complete her set training for [the] qualifications of becoming the new 9th-grade administrator and we’re very lucky to have her.”

Even though Breen has shared the happy parts of taking up a job that she loves, she expressed that it’s still hard to let go of her longstanding history of education in the health department.

Breen said, “I will not be teaching any longer, which is bittersweet for me because I really love teaching. I just felt like it was time to broaden my outreach to the school and take on a different role in that way—to meet kids in a different way.”

Strength in Struggle: Teaching on the Path to a New Kidney

November 13, 2024

Isabella Yan

ARTS EDITOR

This past year has been a journey of perseverance and uncertainty for English teacher Elena Emory who has been battling chronic kidney disease and kidney failure since August 2023.

Kidney disease has long been a part of Emory’s life. The disease is genetic in her family, and for years she has endured its slow and inevitable progression. In October of this year, Emory matched with a living donor, a 73-year-old man.

“It’s a good kidney,” said Emory, “[I will] probably get 15 [or] maybe 20 years out of it.” The transplant can happen within the next two to six months.

Emory revealed the limited choices patients have during the kidney disease treatment process. “You don’t get options in this journey,” she said, adding, “[but] my surgeon gave me options.”

Emory has the option to take the kidney from the donor or have a Kidney Paired Donation (KPD). KPD matches incompatible donor-recipient pairs with other donor-recipient pairs to exchange kidneys. Through KPD, the kidney of her living donor can go to someone who is of a closer age or more compatible, while she can receive a younger kidney.

In the past year, Emory has had to balance her teaching life with the challenges of kidney disease. In the face of her medical journey, she has expressed an unwavering dedication to her students. “It’s a hard thing because you have the appearance of all is well, and it’s not,” Emory said.

Emory remains open to her students about her kidney disease. “I couldn’t keep it packed away,” she said, “they’re my kids… they get a sense of their teachers and something like this.” In sharing her experience with kidney disease with her students, Emory explained, “The kids will be on the journey to transplant…they’ll see the other side of it, [that’s] the beauty of that.”

Junior Aneesa Hazarika previously had Emory as a teacher and reflected on how Emory’s experience with kidney disease shaped her relationships with her students. “She would relate to us in an emotional aspect because she was dealing with a struggle of her own,” said Hazarika. “When it came to talking with her, it was a lot easier because she was understanding in that [emotional] aspect.”

Hazarika added that her story not only sheds light on the disease but also sheds light on what people––especially teachers––may be experiencing beyond what is seen at the surface level. “It’s not like they’re only surrounded by academics. They have their own personal life and personal struggles, and seeing that made me realize…they’re similar to us in more ways than one,” said Hazarika.

Emory shared that she has received enormous support from family and community members during her medical journey and has been incredibly thankful for the patience, love, and sacrifice she has received. “[People have been] reaching out,” she said, “[and] people do what they can.” However, the support that she has experienced from her students has been especially meaningful. “My kids have been the saving grace for me…they are everything,” she said. Hazarika pointed to the attentiveness, respect, and well-wishes of the students in her class upon learning of Emory’s story.

Despite the recent hopeful turn in her journey, the road towards securing a donor has been a challenge in itself. Around 17 people tested to be a living donor for Emory. Among these people was Emory’s husband, who completed numerous tests over three months intending to be a donor for Emory. However, on the final test, Emory and her husband received disheartening news: her husband was discovered to have Fibromuscular Dysplasia, a condition that involves the twisting of arteries including the ones that connect to the kidney, disqualifying him from being a donor. “As devastating as [the diagnosis] was, this was a ‘God-Moment,’ one of the many,” said Emory. “My husband and our family now have this information and can keep our eyes on it.”

Since finding out that she has matched with a donor, Emory shared that the biggest thing for her has been answering the question, “How do you pay this forward?” One thing is spreading the message that there are many people who are in need of a kidney. “It’s really important to think about…What can you do to help someone in need?” Emory said. She encourages people to learn about the importance of being an organ or blood donor. “Kindness takes many hands and many forms,” Emory explained, “everyone can do something to help someone else out and every gesture makes a huge difference.”

By sharing her story, Emory is a voice for many others experiencing kidney disease or other health challenges. “My journey is far from over, I have learned so much,” said Emory. With remarkable strength and courage, she takes on the role of an educator in an inspiring way. “The road to transplantation is never straight, can be lonely, and is not without ‘bumps,’” said Emory, “and that is indeed part of the journey.”

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To Stand or Not to Stand?

November 13, 2024

Staff, Students Debate Pledge of Allegiance requirements

Avery Slaughter and Christina Saad

STAFF WRITERS

At 8:15 A.M., Ralph Bledsoe proudly stood with his hand over his heart as he recited the Pledge of Allegiance in time with the voice over the loudspeakers. The students, standing in rows at their desks, quietly listened while blinking sleep out of their eyes. To an outside observer, it seemed like nobody thought twice about the daily announcement.

At the same time, in Jeffrey Kuchan’s first period class, the band director watched the flag in the corner of the band room as the present students milled about. Some stood; some recited the Pledge in a muted mutter; some sat silently. It didn’t matter to him so long as they showed respect for the morning ritual.

It’s an elementary part of every student and staff member’s day, but the Pledge of Allegiance enthusiastically echoes through the school every morning. Some people don’t think twice about it; some regard it with irritation; some consider it greatly important. After years of the same routine, though, some staff and students in the building have begun questioning whether standing for the Pledge is something students should be required to do.

Currently, there are no federal laws requiring public school students to stand or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Whether or not public schools must say it — and, furthermore, when the students must say it — is decided by the state, and it differs across the country. In Massachusetts, the Pledge must be said first thing in the morning or at the beginning of the school day. Private schools are not held to these standards and may decide by themselves whether or not they recite it.

Because public schools are government institutions, the legality around the Pledge is strict.

When he said the Pledge of Allegiance that morning, AHS Principal Jimmy D’Andrea, channeled his usual cheer, though it wasn’t a particularly notable part of his day. He was enthusiastic about the recitation just as he was every morning — inspiring a bit of joy at the beginning of the day could only be beneficial, after all. He didn’t mind whether or not people stood, nor had he ever, but he recognized the Pledge’s historical significance in the country. Despite the differing regulations across each school he’d worked in, it was a staple in all of them. He would say the Pledge with a smile each morning.

“Public schools were created many years ago for the public good by government agencies,” D’Andrea said, “and so as a result, most of these laws go back well over a hundred years. In this day and age, I don’t know if the same kind of laws would be created, but most [them] have been in the books for a very long period of time.”

While opinions on whether or not students should be required to stand are greatly conflicting, the general consensus seems to be that students should have a choice. Whether or not they should choose to do it out of respect is highly debated, though.

“I think it can’t be a requirement,” Bledsoe said, “but out of respect for the place you live, the people you live with, for the country you live in, out of respect, at least stand.”

Robert Michaud, a history teacher, agreed that you should have the choice but believed the decision was up to personal beliefs. “You’re going to be valued and respected here, as long as you’re not trampling on other people’s values that they have in this situation,” Michaud said.

Some people disagree entirely. Fred Hopkins, a history teacher, suggested that saying the Pledge could possibly promote violence in the country.

“Pledging allegiance is a very serious activity, and what the flag stands for and what it aspires to be are two different things,” Hopkins said, “so when you pledge allegiance, are you supporting all the violence that’s been done by this country and its military, or are you supporting a system of equality and justice, here and abroad, or are you supporting the ideals of freedom and liberty?”

For Kuchan, who taught in a school in Virginia where the Pledge of Allegiance is regarded as extremely important, the Pledge is something to be respected but not enforced. Many of his students in Virginia had veterans in the family or similar military backgrounds, and standing for the Pledge was a meaningful way to pay tribute to that.

“All I ask my students to do is make sure they are respectful during that time, so for those who choose to stand up and say it, they may; for those who choose to sit, they may, as long as they’re not being disruptive,” Kuchan said.

Senior Elina McKenna suggested that being in high school offers more freedom in saying the Pledge. When the Pledge was recited over the loudspeakers that morning, she didn’t pay it any mind. Most of the people in her class had a similar level of apathy regardless of whether they stood or remained seated. To her class, it seemed to be an inconsequential part of their day at best and a mild annoyance at worst. McKenna said that in elementary and middle school, standing and saying the Pledge felt required by the teachers. That pressure is now less intense at AHS, and as a result, people don’t feel it’s necessary to stand and recite it.

Wes Ong, a junior, agreed. “I haven’t heard anyone saying it in a long time. Sometimes the teacher will say it, but quietly,” Ong said.

So, should students be required to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance? There’s no clear answer, but most seem to agree it’s purely up to personal preference. The Pledge has been an omnipresent part of the school day since reconstruction after the Civil War and will likely be around for a long time, but having the personal freedom to choose to stand or not to stand is a great representation of our rights as citizens in the United States of America.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

November 13, 2024

Open-toed shoes at AHS have got to go

Carissa Dessin

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

However, despite their popularity, this lackadaisical type of footwear feels out of place in a school environment. In a place of learning, it is quite jarring to see dozens of students’ feet on a daily basis. While flip-flops and other open-toed shoes may scream “summer vibes,” they’re a far cry from the sense of professionalism, focus, and safety that a school setting should aim to foster.

The sound of squeaking and plastic slapping on the floor echoes through the halls at any given hour during the spring, summer, and warmer autumnal months, indicating an unfortunate trend at AHS: flip-flops. When the weather heats up, so does the presence of open-toed shoes in every corner of the school, from the cafeteria to the classrooms, as students opt for comfort and ease over more traditional footwear.

One significant concern with flip-flops and sandals in schools is the lack of protection they provide. In the bustling halls, it’s not rare to get stepped on. Senior Kai Cruz has personally witnessed “people’s feet getting trampled in the hallway.” In high-traffic halls like the ones in AHS, shoes should be practical, and flip-flops are anything but.

This lack of practicality becomes even more glaring when students are in gym or science classes. In settings where physical activity or exposure to hazardous materials is part of the curriculum, wearing open-toed shoes is not only impractical but downright dangerous. Teachers require students to wear closed-toed shoes in labs for good reason—broken glass or spilled chemicals could cause serious injuries. Chemistry teacher Sarah Fisher said, “In the lab, it’s absolutely a safety issue. I’ve seen students hurt themselves pretty badly because they were wearing slippers.”

Gym teacher Meredith Emery has witnessed many injuries from students not wearing proper footwear, not only flip-flops but also slippers. She consistently emphasizes the importance of wearing sneakers in all of her Personal Fitness classes. “The first day of class two years ago in 2021, [a student] broke his toe because he was wearing Crocs,” she said. This is not an isolated incident, Emery stated; injuries like this are a recurring issue every year.

Then there’s the issue of hygiene. While the cleanliness of a person’s feet is not a strong concern, the mere thought of seeing other students’ feet day in and day out feels uncomfortable. Cruz summed it up perfectly when she said, “Most people hate feet, as they should, and keep them as private as possible. I personally think feet should always be hidden.” Open-toed shoes add a level of discomfort that goes beyond style, whether it’s the sight of exposed toes or the after-smell of sweaty sandals after hours of walking through school.

What makes the situation even more perplexing is that many students, who would never wear flip-flops or sandals in a professional context, see nothing wrong with wearing them to school. This type of thinking ignores the reality that school serves as a practice run for adulthood in many ways. Emery pointed out, “You wouldn’t go to your job in inappropriate clothing. And this is, to me, your job.”

Given that flip-flops are simple to put on, and ideal for warm weather, it’s no wonder students choose to wear them all the time. However, there is a price for that convenience. Schools are places where focus and safety should come first, and open-toed shoes just do not fit that bill. Whether it’s the distraction of frequent foot exposure, the safety dangers in labs and gym courses, or the lack of professionalism that flip-flops imply, these casual shoes are better suited for weekends and summer vacations—not for school.

In the end, it’s about respect. Respect for the learning environment, respect for peers who don’t want to see or smell your feet, and respect for the safety standards that schools are responsible for maintaining. So, next time you reach for those flip-flops, think twice. After all, some comforts are worth saving for when the final bell rings, and you’re heading anywhere but school.

New Weekly Phone Calls Keep Families Involved

November 13, 2024

Luka Oatman

STAFF WRITER

Principal Jimmy D’Andrea has introduced a new method of communicating with AHS families this year: a newsletter delivered via phone call.

In previous years, AHS updates were only conveyed to families through email. While this method worked for some parents, others who may not have had time to thoroughly read the letter had to rely on their students to learn about school news. However, with a new principal comes new traditions, as the school has seen during D’Andrea’s time at AHS.

These Sunday-night phone calls go live every week around 7 P.M. They include around two minutes of information about events and changes around the school.

“I try to think from the perspective of, ‘What are the key things that parents and guardians need to know related to the school as a whole?’” said D’Andrea when asked about how he decides what to tell families about each week. “They’re things that students may mention to their parents, but it’s also helpful for the parents to have access to this weekly news so that they can support their student.”

Students and parents around AHS have expressed appreciation for the new form of news, feeling that it helps make it easier for families to stay connected and involved with the school.

“Every Sunday night, when the phone rings, my parents are quick to answer the phone. They’re very excited to hear the principal’s message,” said Henry Kane, a senior. “I think it’s really helpful for families to stay informed and be prepared for the week ahead.”

D’Andrea hopes that parents and students alike will benefit greatly from these quick and easy broadcasts, learning about school events from parent-teacher conferences to homecoming dances and getting more involved than ever before.

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“What do you think of the world?”

November 13, 2024

AHS History Department Tackles American Politics

Eva Liss

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

As the 2024 presidential election hovered in everyone’s minds, the Andover History Department continuously tackled difficult topics, hoping to improve students’ abilities to think critically about their world.

During election years, courses such as World History, US History, and Democracy & Media Literacy face a unique challenge to teach students thoughtfully and neutrally. To face this challenge, teachers like Mary Robb and Brendan Gibson use homegrown frameworks and supervised discussion to encourage students, especially voting-age seniors, to become involved and informed decision-makers. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also sets guidelines for what can and cannot be taught at the high school level.

A major aspect of political awareness within history classes is active engagement with the current political environment. Democracy & Media Literacy, a course unique to AHS, aims to instruct students in being critical thinkers and decision-makers. Students in the class have regular news reviews, in which they research a current event from multiple news sources across the political spectrum and analyze how the differences found affect outlook on the event.

Robb, who teaches multiple sections of Democracy & Media Literacy, said she believes the course is crucial to students’ development as active consumers of media, especially when it deals with political freedom. “One of the key skills our students sharpen [in this class] is their ability to recognize bias,” she said. “[They] then say ‘okay, now, what are the facts in this story?’ and [draw] their own conclusions.”

This is similar to strategies found in Gibson’s ninth- and tenth-grade World History classes, where students choose their own current events stories every 8-day cycle and prepare for class discussions on the topic.

Gibson’s World History sections deal with both chosen current events and more complicated or controversial topics, such as gun violence, abortion, or the vice presidential debates. Gibson said he has not observed much controversy between students, and he believes students are naturally respectful of each other’s opinions.

“I think students are still trying to learn about these issues by and large… If ever there is a contentious topic, I try to keep things as rooted in fact as possible,” Gibson said of the discussions he’s observed.

Anna Bacchi, a senior in Democracy & Media Literacy, expressed a similar opinion. “I think we’ve all been very good so far at not getting straight-up angry at each other and what we’re seeing,” she said. “We usually try to express our ideas as our own and are able to disagree without yelling.”

“We focus more on policy than personality,” Gibson said when interviewed prior to the election. “We [looked] at polling data from the seven main swing states [each cycle]… Polling is not a perfect science, but… it’s interesting to keep a [finger] on the pulse of these states which… largely [determined] the [election’s] outcome.”

Students in Democracy & Media Literacy also use the widespread media coverage of the presidential election. They explore political patterns found in the modern world through both research and class discussions.

Assignments consisted of watching the presidential and vice-presidential debates, as well as taking notes on documentaries about the candidates. The framework students were provided for note-taking, created by history teacher Kathryn Reusch, goes deeper than simply observations. In it, students are asked to record policies the candidates discussed and their behavior: evasion of questions, criticism or insults, and whether their words were fact-checked and proven false.

“I think [they have] really highlighted how separated our country is politically in comparison to previous generations,” Bacchi said on class discussions and analysis assignments. “I don’t think [they’ve] changed many of my political beliefs, but [they’ve] made me very conscious of how I talk about my opinions and ideas.”

Ultimately, history classes at AHS do not seek to convince students one way or the other. Instead, they are there to prepare students to engage thoughtfully with the world around them, especially as they grow up into a fraught political climate.

“[Students should] be healthy skeptics [and] consciously thinking about what they know,” said Robb. “The goal is for them to know as much as they can about candidates [and] ballot questions so… they can take all that information and [decide] what they need and want from their government.”

Ballot Question Challenges Necessity of the MCAS

November 13, 2024

Areeta Faiz

STAFF WRITER

Question 2 on the November 5 ballot sought to abolish the mandate that high school students must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in order to graduate.

The MCAS has been a hotly contested topic for years now, and both proponents and opponents of Question 2 presented a variety of factors to consider. Passage of the ballot question would not change the administration of the test but would lift the requirement and likely some of the pressure associated with it. The shift would take effect immediately for this year’s senior class.

ANDOVERVIEW went to press prior to Tuesday’s election results being finalized, so this article aims to capture how community members felt about the ballot question in the weeks leading up to this important vote.

Graduating isn’t the issue: according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, about 99% of students pass the exam. So, one of the most important changes to consider in Andover is the effect of the requirement on results.

Alan Hibino teaches a range of courses in the math department from Algebra I to Statistics. He noted the importance of reliable data to help serve students, align curriculum, and ensure material is adequately but not excessively reviewed each year.

“Whether it’s a requirement or not, that data is valuable to… math teachers to help us shape our program of studies here at the high school.” Hibino hoped that “students would continue to take the administration of the MCAS seriously.”

This, however, might not completely be the case.

“I try to do my best, but I know a lot of people don’t,” offered sophomore Mina Kacemi. “If you take away the requirement, I feel like nobody would care at all. I hear a lot of people say that they just don’t try during MAP testing because it doesn’t actually impact them. I think the same thing would happen for MCAS.”

The Massachusetts State Secretary of Education, Patrick Tutwiler, expressed a similar opinion. “High school students will not take it seriously going forward,” he said, “so it won’t be a useful assessment anymore.”

The biggest effect felt by students at AHS is anxiety caused by the exam. Many students have expressed that the MCAS is at least somewhat stressful, perhaps more than it’s worth.

“I’m kind of stressing about the math one already, in the back of my mind,” said Kacemi, who is set to take her math and language arts MCAS tests this spring.

“I am concerned about [high-stakes testing] in terms of the well-being of our students,” said Hibino.

Many supporters of Question 2 argue that the exams disproportionately affect students from low-income households, English Language Learners (ELLs), those with learning disabilities, and those who may otherwise struggle.

“It’s really difficult to do well in the MCAS due to the language barrier, even though this year I feel more confident,” said one ELL at the high school. He also suggests that doing one’s best does not have to be synonymous with pressure and that a singular test determining a student’s ability to graduate feels unreasonable.

Much of the debate, Hibino added, lies in whether the state truly needs a concrete measure of a student’s abilities. “Ultimately I think MCAS provides a basic standard; the basic ability to do fractions, for example, or to understand context for the English MCAS,” he said. “And I think a lot of these skills happen organically from the classes we take. So, the question is, do we really need a test to definitively prove that?”

“[Another] one of the things that we talk about in our faculty is the ‘vision of the graduate.’ What do we expect of a student that is graduating [from] Andover High? And so if not the MCAS… what [is] part of our vision?” said Hibino.

Tutwiler pointed out that the ballot did “not propose something as a replacement. All it [did was] deconstruct the current system…you’ll just have a local assessment and understanding of how students are doing,” he adds, “and I’m saying that’s not enough.”

Articles Faculty Sports

Coach Perry Returns to Lead Andover Football, Teach Classes

October 4, 2024

Sanjith Kalpat || STAFF WRITER

Perry, who has been an influential figure in Andover’s athletic program — specifically in football and volleyball — and educational communities for over two decades, had initially planned to retire from both teaching and coaching. However, in an unexpected turn, he is back this fall as head coach of Andover High School’s football team and teaching fifth grade at West Elementary.

While Perry’s retirement initially made waves, the full picture is more complex.

According to Wayne “Pug” Puglisi, AHS’ Athletic Director, Perry’s long-time decision to retire from teaching was more final than his coaching role.

“He’s met his teaching retirement responsibilities,” Puglisi confirmed.

Despite this, Perry is currently in the classroom at West Elementary School right now, substituting another fifth-grade teacher, Scott Price, who has been out on medical leave.

As for coaching, Perry was unsure.

“I would say that he never really left [coaching football],” Puglisi mentioned. “He and I had conversations about what he wanted to try to do, whether or not he wanted to go hang out with his grandson down in Florida or if he wanted to be with his son who was playing professionally, [or] to see his [other] son who is also just starting his college career…We had prepared for him to not coach again this fall. But it turns out that he [decided to coach after all].”

For Perry, returning to both teaching and coaching wasn’t a difficult choice. “For coaching, I love the competitive stuff,” he said. “Teaching, I love getting kids to do things they think they can’t do.”

The AHS football team, which has long benefited from Perry’s leadership, continues to push. Along with his hard-working assistant staff, they aim to continue the success from the past two years.

STAFF PHOTO || Sanjith Kalpat
Coach Perry celebrates after wide reciever Julian Martinez catches a touchdown, putting Andover up 21-6 versus Lowell.

One of Perry’s standout players, junior defensive lineman Jan Carlos Aquino, expressed, “It is great to have Coach Perry back at it again. He is a very good coach, and I was excited to hear that he was back.”

Additionally, Puglisi emphasized how Perry’s presence had always been about more than just winning games, saying that he cares for the athletes, looks out for their best interests, and builds great relationships with the players. According to Puglisi, he’s able to balance the things that happen from academic, social, and athletic standpoints.

As for what lies beyond this season, Perry himself remains noncommittal in his future with volleyball.

“[The teaching] part of his career is wrapping up, but the coaching side? That’s a private discussion between Perry and me. We’ll see,” said Puglisi.

Puglisi ended, “If you count the number of years he’s coached and the number of years he’s taught, the generations of people that have been in his classroom and on his fields, I think is immense. I can’t even begin to tell you the impact that he’s had on all of those students and all of those athletes’ lives. It’s too big to count.”

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New Principal Settles Into AHS

October 4, 2024

By Anya Gorovits
STAFF WRITER

D’Andrea first came to AHS last spring, and after applying for the position of principal and being hired, he spent several months adjusting to the school over the summer. Now, just over a month into school, D’Andrea has already left many positive impressions and made several beneficial changes. “I really like our new principal so far,” said sophomore Anika Abbot.

D’Andrea decided to apply to AHS and came for an interview with students, teachers, parents, and office staff last April. He was offered the position after his finalist interview and moved to Andover in June. D’Andrea loves the town so far, and especially how committed Andover is to its public schools.

STAFF PHOTO / Anya Gorovits
Principal D’Andrea gets to know senior John Nies during lunch

“There is so much community support for Andover public schools in general…and that’s not common.” Massachusetts is also the coldest place D’Andrea has ever lived in, “I’m interested [and] nervous,” he said, interested about our winter sports teams but nervous for our snowy winters.

D’Andrea has already made two important changes that are strongly appreciated around the school. Math teacher Krista Hibino, along with most students, finds the extended passing period time very helpful. Another vital change is the loss of the tardy line, letting students get to class faster. “I feel like a lot of time was wasted in just standing in that line,” said Abbot.

D’Andrea has ambitious goals as principal. He’s already working on learning the names of all AHS staff and students, something he’s done at every school he’s worked at. D’Andrea also wants to make every AHS student feel like a part of the Andover community, no matter what activities they are a part of. D’Andrea spends a lot of time working on this by talking to and getting to know students during lunch and before school. ”I think it’s sweet that he greets everyone in the morning,” said Abbot. He also comes to sports games, both at home and away, posting clips of them on his Instagram page.

D’Andrea’s Instagram page is a part of his main goal of communication. He finds it very important to get word out in a school as big as Andover. So, he’s started leaving automated messages for parents on Sundays and will continue doing so all year long. Hibino added, ”I’ve really enjoyed working with him, and I appreciate that he’s very communicative.”

D’Andrea has enjoyed his time at AHS so far and is looking forward to getting to know the students, school, and town better. “Everybody’s been so friendly. It really seems like an incredible place,” he commented.