Faculty – Page 2 – AHS NEWSPAPER

Counselor Switch Creates Confusion

October 4, 2024

By Maddox To || STAFF WRITER

Many students were assigned former guidance counselor Mellissa Todd, a long-standing counselor before she left in the early 2023 school year to work at a school closer to her home.

Shortly after, counselor Mary “Molly” Creamer replaced her and things were up and running again. But unfortunately, Creamer had to transfer schools at the end of the 2024 school year. After Creamer left, all of her students were dispersed among pre-existing counselors on the team here at Andover High.

“I feel good about it because they’re all nice people,” shared junior Smit Patel, describing all the counselors.

Junior, Razan Hawat also shared a relatively unbothered and positive stance on the situation: “For me, it hasn’t been too bothersome. Other than the fact that you [no longer] have the same connection to your new counselor as you had with your previous one, [the switch] overall hasn’t been too bad.”

Junior Nicole Flanigan shared the same sort of sentiment as Hawat, adding, “I do think it’s sort of annoying–having to go over everything all over again to a new person.”

As students’ opinions on the whole counselor-situation changes, some share a more frustrated reaction.

Junior Will Dugan, expressed discontent with the lack of continuity as counselor assignments change. “It’s annoying how this is the third guidance counselor that we’ve had in three years,” he said. “So as other people said, every year, we keep having to repeat our introductions, when really at this point, we should be—like a lot of our peers are—really comfortable with [our] guidance counselor.”

This sentiment is connected to the discontent students are feeling with the fact that they won’t have a counselor that really understands and has a grounded profile of them. A counselor having a good understanding of each student is crucial for college recs in the early bits of senior year.

For the first few weeks of school, junior Aneesa Hazarika was left with a problem that has persisted since Creamer’s departure from her position. “Any time I had a question, when [I] had Ms. Creamer, she never really had an answer,” Hazarika said. “She didn’t know how to do a lot of things, including my course selection meeting. She always had to leave the room or ask someone else.”

This dynamic between new counselor and student lengthened meeting times—which could have been solved with experience as a counselor. “It was hard to work with her, because she didn’t really know what we were doing,” which wasn’t her fault at all as she had only been a substitute counselor for a year. In Hazarika’s experience, having a completely different counselor this year extended her problem with her academic schedule since the 2024 spring semester.

Junior Milena Tiernan expressed sympathy for the new counselors assigned Creamer’s past pupils: “It’s not only really unsustainable for the students, but I think it’s also a large weight on the other counselors, because [it means] every single one has a higher workload now–having even more students in their counseling agenda.” Tiernan worries that this increase in workload for the rest of the counselors will water down the connections and profile-building between the counselors and their students.

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Ninth Grade Coordinator Ganci Steps Up to Assistant Principal Gap

October 4, 2024

By Eva Liss
EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The absence of previous assistant principal Rebecca Perry, who was recently hired as Doherty Middle School’s principal, left a gap in AHS administrative staffing. Ganci, who was uniquely positioned as the ninth-grade coordinator to connect with students, families, and staff across many middle schools in the district, was hired as Perry’s replacement in late August.

Initially, Ganci said she was hesitant to give up her position as ninth grade coordinator, as she loved her job—especially the student-facing aspect, which enabled her to get to know over a quarter of the AHS population extremely well. Ganci said she applied rather late to the position because of this, and expressed that weighing the benefits of the ninth-grade coordinator job with the needs of the greater AHS community made her reconsider the impact she could have within the school. She also said she valued the opportunity to further aid the AHS community in being a supportive space for all.

“I developed a skill set through [ninth grade coordinating] to do this job,” said Ganci on her motivation to apply. “It felt like the next logical step—the right move for the school and the team. I care very deeply… about this school [and] the students… it just kind of made sense to… take that leap.”

Ganci worked as the ELA program coordinator for six years, before transitioning to the ninth-grade coordinator job at the start of last year, and though the positions’ responsibilities are different, she expressed that she wasn’t fazed. She said she was originally “absolutely intimidated” at the more disciplinary aspects of the assistant principal job, but that her work with last year’s freshman class prepared her more than she expected. In addition, Ganci considers herself driven by a strong sense of care and responsibility for her students, which aids her in overcoming her nerves.

“We’re advocates for students, even on their worst day,” Ganci said. “Just because [a student] had a bad day or… made a bad choice doesn’t mean… we’re not going to have faith in them. That’s what was really appealing to me.”

With all these staffing changes, the AHS community has been under continuous pressure to adapt to and incorporate new members of the administrative community. But both Ganci and new principal James “Jimmy” D’Andrea expressed gratitude for their reception to their new positions, and confidence that the students and staff would propel the school year in a continually positive direction. Ganci has aided with the ninth-grade coordinator role in the interim, as interviews were conducted during September and into early October.

“We’ll be fully transitioning once we hire a new person, but I think she has done an excellent job,” said D’Andrea. “We aim to build on that foundation in the coming year.”

The ninth-grade coordinator search was expected to end in the first week of October, after interviews from AHS staff, students, and families, as well as Andover Human Resources and Superintendent Parvey. The filling of this position marks the first time the AHS administrative staff has been complete, without any interim positions, since the 2022-2023 school year. Ganci is glad to be a part of it and feels that her main goal is to continue supporting the students and “rolling with [the changes.]”

“All students deserve somebody who’s going to advocate for them,” she said. “We’re able to help struggling students and make everyone feel welcome here. When we have these bumps… I just hope… students feel respected and understood.”

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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.”

Articles Community Education Faculty

Aftermath of Strike: a Beloved AHS Teacher’s Point of View

May 22, 2024

Anya Gorovits & Ella Hu
STAFF WRITERS

AHS History and Psychology teacher Kathryn Vives has been brought back after being laid off, yet like many other teachers, she is still awaiting answers to what happens next.

Vives has taught at the school for 8 years after making a career switch from banking in New York. “I just always saw myself coming back [from banking] to history,” she said. “I realized that that’s what I was happy being engaged in.” So she began teaching, a job she loves and describes herself as very committed to.

Vives was “fairly involved” in this past fall’s strike, with her house serving as a home base for teachers during the strike There were many changes she hoped a new contract would secure, including total compensation and medical/maternal leave. “I would like to see my colleagues have an acceptable amount of time off when establishing a new family,” she said.

Though at first Vives wasn’t sure about the idea of a strike, she said she felt school district authorities were ignoring teachers’ requests. “I saw firsthand that there was no real conversation, no willingness on the other side to talk about any of the proposed changes we wanted to see,” she said.

Eventually, teachers like Vives chose to make themselves heard with the strike. Yet they didn’t at all expect what happened early this spring.

Vives described being laid off as “a surprise times a hundred.” An Andover resident with three kids going through the public school system, Vives said she has given her “heart and soul” to her AHS students and never imagined being deprived of that, especially with her huge class sizes.

“My classes are bursting at the seams,” she noted. Her classes range from 23-28, which is larger than the average AHS class size and average history class at AHS. The increasing sizes can make it very difficult for Vives and other teachers to grade assignments quickly and thoughtfully.

When Vives first read the school contract regarding “reductions in force,” she didn’t think the language pertained to her credentials and qualifications. It came as a shock not only to her but also to her students who adore her classes and her enthusiasm. To Vives, being laid off when class sizes were exploding “didn’t make sense” to her and her coworkers.

Many of the teachers who were laid off along with Vives in April have also been teaching at AHS for many years. There were no reasons related to their performance or record, but a disproportionate number of teachers in the history department were laid off or transferred. There was no response from the school committee as to why social studies teachers were reduced more than others.

Recently, a teacher from the middle school history department resigned, and with the open position, Vives was able to get her job back. She is relieved to be employed for the next school year but is still concerned about the many other Andover teachers who have lost their jobs. “I still have many questions that have never been answered, and a general bad feeling about how decisions are made in the district,” Vives said. “I feel that it’s hard to be as enthusiastic about my job as I was before.”

Vives isn’t sure whether she will be able to continue teaching at the high school or have to step into the role of a middle school teacher. She hopes she will be able to remain at AHS, where she believes her expertise is most aligned.

“I will continue to fight to get these jobs back and to improve our schools. I’m not sure what shape that may take, but I won’t stop advocating for a better Andover school system and for the right future for our students of Andover High,” she said.

Mrs. Vives works at her desk in between classes || STAFF PHOTO

Articles Events Faculty

Reidy went to Antarctica!

May 6, 2024

By Jiya Jotwani
STAFF WRITER

Minda Reidy, a math and computer science teacher at AHS, was in Antarctica on December 20, 2023.

Reidy signed up to go 2 years ago. In July of 2021, she went on a river cruise and people there were talking about how you could go to Antarctica. It was a new thing at the time, but Reidy jumped at the opportunity.

When Reidy returned to Massachusetts, she presented about her trip in the AHS Collins Center.

Connor McGovern, a freshman at AHS who attended Reidy’s presentation says, “I thought it was really cool! It was really interesting to see sort of like what it’s like there, it’s one of those places where you never really visit.”

In the presentation, she described that while in the Antarctic she learned that the krill (little fish) are food for whales, seabirds, fish, squid, seals, and sharks. However, more and more humans have been going krill fishing because it has omega 3, a fatty acid that supports your brain and heart. But krill fishing takes food away from the animals. This can result in weakening the animals by not having enough food for them. Reidy finds it important for students to understand and wants to spread awareness of this.

Reidy describes Antarctica as a whole as an “absolute beauty,” and, “It just is amazing—the serenity, the coexisting with the wildlife—that we can actually do that.”

She saw penguins, orcas, whales, krill, and a vein of copper (a copper deposit on a cliff). Some people on the crew already knew what veins of copper are and were very excited and thankful to get a chance to see one. They only got the chance because the tour crew was adaptable and changed their route everyday due to the environment. If some place was fogged out, they would go somewhere else and plan accordingly. So when Reidy was there for the first time, the rest of the crew was experiencing it for the first time as well. It was a bonding and learning experience as everyone was going through the same shock and joy together.

However, her journey to the Antarctic was not an easy one. She went through the Southern ocean which takes two days in itself, while going through the Southern Ocean, you go through the Drake Passage, named after Sir Frances Drake. He actually never sailed these waters but realized there may be a connection between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and that’s what is now called the Drake Passage. The Drake Passage is in between the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern ocean and when you go through it you can either get the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake.” The Drake Lake means it’s a calm ride but if you get the Drake Shake, the complete opposite environmental condition, it’s tempestuous and some captains even refuse to cross it when in that state. While going to Antarctica, Reidy had the Drake Lake, but while returning to Boston she faced the Drake Shake. She exclaimed how it was so bad that some crew members got very sick.

STAFF PHOTO / Jiya Jotwani
Minda Reidy presents about her Antarctica trip. In the picture she was crossing the Southern Ocean.

While Reidy was in Antarctica she saw many gentoo penguins. She said that everyone had to to stand 5 meters away from penguins at all times as a way to preserve wildlife. She also said that the penguins were in very noisy colonies and they were very smelly. But she still got the chance to “adopt” a penguin where it stays in Antarctica but is hers. She hasn’t figured out a name yet but plans to soon.

Health Teacher Mrs. Desfosse Talks About Her Health Career: Health Career Q&A

May 6, 2024

By Samiha Jaffar
STAFF WRITER

Betsey Desfosse is one of the health teachers at Andover High School. Mrs. Desfosse has taught health for 32 years. In her free time, she loves to go outside and enjoy nature and walking her dogs. “ I think I am a very responsible person, and I grew up helping people around me as I help my aging parents and my niece with special needs,” she said.

How did you become interested in becoming a Health Teacher?

I liked being a Sunday School teacher when I was in high school so I knew I liked to teach. I just thought health was the most exciting and ever-changing topic.

How long have you been teaching health?

I have been teaching health for around 32 years!

How has health changed over the years?

The reason I wanted to teach health is because it changes all the time. Over the years, there have been new issues, inventions, diseases, and current health issues to contend with.

What do most people struggle with?

I think when I first started at AHS, I would say that kids were struggling with not being as happy as they could be. That was the start of our mental health crisis.

Were the causes for adults and children the same or different, if different, why?

Maybe the root cause is the same but presents differently based on someone’s age.

Do you notice phones affecting people’s mental health? If so, how?

Massively! They are not helping. It breaks my heart to watch how unhappy and disconnected people are. I wish teenagers could grow up without a phone. I had the best childhood memories that kids today will never have.

Have you ever struggled in terms of health?

Definitely with mental health and body image, but I have worked hard to be in a good place with both and [am] always happy to help anyone struggling!

What do you think is the most important topic in Health?

I would say building skills to help yourself and others and knowing resources.

Student-Faculty Basketball Game Upcoming

May 6, 2024

By Minati Thota
STAFF WRITER

The student-faculty basketball game is scheduled for April 3 during H-block and is being organized by the Sophomore Board led by Mary Testa.

Students can either sign up to watch through MyFlexLearning, or volunteer to play. The faculty team of 12 staff members is held secret until the day of the game. “Mr. Bledsoe [will be on] the mic,” Testa provided.

The student-faculty basketball game is an annual event organized by the class boards. The faculty team won last year’s game, but the playing field is level again this year. Testa predicts an exciting showdown and encourages students to join. “We expect a better turnout this year,” she added, referring to the students playing as well as the audience.

What Did Educators Gain From the AEA Strike?

December 6, 2023

By Carissa Dessin and Molly Borenstein
SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER

Wages, leave, and prep time for Andover educators increased as the AEA strike came to a close.

Since January, Andover teachers and Instructional Assistants (IAs) had been in discussion with the School Committee to create a fair contract. To the Andover Education Association (AEA), ‘fair’ came with a list of demands. These points included increased pay for both teachers and IAs, eight weeks of paid parental leave, an extra personal day, and more. These meetings to discuss the contract, also called bargaining, were filled with tension as the two sides could not come to an agreement.

On November 9, the AEA membership voted overwhelmingly to engage in an illegal strike which started on November 10 and ended on November 14, with educators, students, and parents showing their support along the picket line. During this time, bargaining continued in tension-filled meetings. Many “teachers were very conflicted leading up to the strike and while it was ongoing,” said AEA Vice President Julian DiGloria. However, despite the guilt that a handful of teachers were dealing with, they felt without a doubt that “they had had no other choice but to take this action.”

Eventually, after the AEA bargaining team and School Committee worked multiple nights, a compromise was reached. These new benefits include an increase in wage for IAs from 37.5%-59.5%, which was, according to negotiator and math teacher Elizabeth Arnold, “one of the top priorities [of their] team.” There was also an increased wage for teachers, which included base salary going up by around 27%.

The resolutions included not only pay boosts but also more paid leave. This includes 8 weeks of paid parental leave, 15 days off per year for ill family members, and an additional personal day for both IAs and teachers. Finally, this new contract also stated there would be both 30 minutes for lunch and for recess and an additional 25 hours of teacher-led time at the elementary level. Along with a few other inclusions, the educators returned to schools on November 15.

Not only did this demonstration bring an end to what was essentially an 11-month-long battle between the AEA and the School Committee, but it also brought more unity among the educators of Andover. “I don’t think there has ever been a stronger bond of solidarity between [Andover] educators,” said Matthew Bach, president of the AEA.

Articles Education Faculty

Teacher’s Response to the Strike

December 5, 2023

By Julie Mahoney, Samantha Sun, Saarvi Deshwal, Maddox To, Isabella Yan, & Tommy Kruecker-Green
COPY EDITOR AND STAFF WRITERS

Teachers and instructional assistants (IA) are more than thrilled to be back in school after the five-day strike in November.

Every day from the 10th to the 14th, educators from all of APS stood on the picket line and showed their solidarity. Now that they are back in school, they have some thoughts on the way it all went down.

STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger
Teachers rally at Andover Commons on Friday, Nov. 10th

While there is full support for these new changes, there are a few conditions some educators wished would have been included. History teacher Lauren Ream said, “I wish there was more flexibility [and] understanding that teachers sometimes need to leave early and that things happen.” As a longtime educator, Ream has seen the Andover community adapt over time and believes that these changes are especially beneficial for younger teachers. “I’m at the end of my career, my kids are all grown, so I know what it was like,” Ream noted.

With the new contract, IAs acquired a more sufficient living wage, which garnered a lot of positive responses. “I am happy…especially [with] the increase for instructional assistants who have never in my tenure been paid properly,” said Abby Levin, a social worker. “They work with some of our most challenging students.” The new contract provides IA’s and teachers alike with a greater sense of stability. Levin also shared how satisfied she is with the new additions to the contract, such as the inclusion of more recess and lunchtime for elementary students.

“I felt an incredible solidarity on the picket line, and my sign had a stick holding it up so I could hold it high,” Levin said proudly. Despite the chilly weather, with the help of donuts, coffee, and music, teachers continued to stand for what they believed in alongside many from the community. Betsey Desfosse, a health teacher, said that it was the coolest thing she had been involved in. “It was exhausting, but dare I say fun. I haven’t felt that alive and passionate about something in a long time,” said Desfosse.

Lindsey L’Ecuyer, a biology teacher found it “empowering to feel the support of the community.” L’Ecuyer explained that a more competitive contract would allow for the best faculty for students. “We best support ALL of our students when we are able to recruit the staff they deserve.”

“Though I felt the camaraderie of my colleagues on the picket line and was touched by community and student support, I and all others I spoke to wanted to return to the classroom as quickly as possible,” said Erin Cherry, a history teacher. “The classroom is where we all feel at home.” With all the protests, getting back to the classroom was their number one goal.

Although the strike was a long and difficult process for the teachers, it was rewarding in the end. Ruth Masters, a history teacher, was among the few educators who had initially voted against the strike. “I didn’t think we had community support,” she said. It was a surprise to her to discover the support Andover families had for teachers.

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Q&A with Principal Taylor

December 5, 2023

By Eva Liss
COPY EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO / Betty Taylor
Betty Taylor poses for a photo.

As AHS settles into the new school year, it also has new leadership: Interim Principal Betty Taylor, who is well-situated and eager to help the school where she can.

Q: Just a little background on you— where were you before coming to Andover?

A: I just retired this past June at Beverly High School. I’d been principal there for eight years. But I’d actually been there for a long time. I started teaching English and theater there in 1985, I was an assistant principal for about 7 years, and then I was principal, so I’ve been lucky there. It’s where I spent most of my career.

Q: Did Andover seek you out or did you go looking for a job?

A: I spent the whole summer walking my dog and cleaning the house and saying ‘Oh, I have to get a part-time job.’ I was looking in September for one, maybe teaching in college, and then a former superintendent of mine called and said you were looking for an interim principal. It’s full-time, but it’s only a year, so the short burst makes sense. I have to admit I didn’t plan my retirement very well, but I do like the fall, and I like kids, so it’s been nice.

Q: More on that—how has the experience been so far?

A: I’m still learning some stuff, learning new traditions at Andover that are different from the way I used to do it or Beverly did. What’s impressed me about Andover is there are actually a lot of great academic programs and a variety of extracurriculars. I have to say I’ve been very impressed with the students because the majority I’ve met have been very well organized, well prepared, very good public speakers (which isn’t an easy skill) and very courteous. The teachers have been great to talk to also. I know some routine stuff that makes up every school, so now I’m just trying to get a sense of what makes Andover unique.

Q: Has anything been difficult to get used to?

A: I hate Outlook because I’m used to Gmail, so I’ve been cursing my computer. The schedule’s very different—in Beverly, we had an every-other-day schedule—so that’s something I’ve had to get used to, but it’s not that hard. I just check my chart all the time. And then I’d like to do a better job with communication both to students and parents. I hope to have that up and running [soon].

Q: Do you have any other goals?

A: In a way, it is to just make sure that the school can keep running. Whatever they need a principal to sign off on, I’m there. I’m also interested in making sure I support anything going forward without blowing things up. It’s really the next principal’s job to decide where the school goes next so it’s my job to make sure everything stays on track for them and it’s all set up. I have a short-term goal—I’d like us to throw a really fun pep rally. I’ll probably have more short-term goals as the year goes on. I’m trying to improve communication with students through all types of formats, like Instagram or Outlook, because I think if there’s something I need to share I want to make sure more people are getting it and engaging with it.

Q: Tell us about yourself. What are some fun facts?

A: Let’s see. I’m left-handed, I have three kids, my dog Ranger, and my cat Auggie. I’m not really a big hobby person, but I like to read and go to the theater.