DHS Weekly Updates

DHS WEEKLY UPDATES #1

September 6, 2026

Back-To-School Edition

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PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

Welcome Back DHS

Please be sure to scroll through this first edition of the 26-27 year to to share with your student how to retrieve their schedule on Tuesday, the new cell phone policy below which has been sent to everyone, learn about our new staff and much more information.

As summer comes to an end, Danvers High School is ready to welcome back the energy and vibrancy of Falcon Nation for the 2026–2027 school year. What makes a high school succeed is the care, the accountability, the focus on rigor and teaching habits of mind, the intentional vision of ensuring every student is provided an opportunity to maximize their experience all blanketed around kindness and joy. The past few weeks has shown it in our band members mastering new routines, our fall athletes striving for excellence as the begins, and our seniors bringing energy and color to our campus spaces in the parking lot. It’s in every new student taking in the vastness of DHS during orientation, and in every hour spent by our custodians, administrative assistants, Mr. Hamilton, and Mrs. LeBlanc getting our school ready for day one.

Every new beginning brings a rush of excitement mixed with nerves. Whether one is a freshman taking their first steps into DHS, a family joining our district, or a student adapting to our new Bell-to-Bell phone policy, those feelings are natural.Yet despite the nerves and the changes ~ it is going to be a wonderful year. Our dedicated faculty and staff are here to guide, protect, and lift up your students. They care deeply about not only the content being taught but the human being that sits before them. This year, with our new cell phone policy we will rediscover what it means to truly connect, free from the digital noise that so easily pulls us apart.

Aristotle once wrote, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” This belief is woven into the very soul of who we are. I was reminded of this truth through a handful of summer events that resulted in amazing tributes which reminded me once again of what values DHS wraps around our daily interactions.

Every single day, I witness this spirit in our Danvers community. I see students and staff who don’t just lend a hand to get something in return, but because compassion flows through them. We witnessed the tireless passion driving our former DECA students and 2026 graduates Natalie Bahret, Meghan Ryan and Alejandro Bourdier who led the financial and artistic charge to dedicate the Colleen Ritzer library (pictures below) for an extraordinary human being whom these students did not personally know. The dedication in August was heartwarming, and a powerful reminder that kindness always wins.

I saw it when 8 students who do not run in the same circles, in a matter of hours got together when asked where they sent a welcome DHS video to a student who was handling a medical situation, to say we are with you and we cannot wait to see you at DHS when you are able. And finally when three DECA students Ari Fajardo, Ashley Loporto and Chase Richmond saw their hard work come to fruition with a deeply moving Purple Heart Memorial dedication at Town Hall in August. These are simply three examples yet there are so many more- from our Football team quietly performing community service throughout the summer to others volunteering to clean local parks and beaches our students continue to do more, while thriving in the classroom.

Many years ago long before NIKE’s Just DO IT and Under Armour’s Not in our House, Champion products advertised, It takes a little more to be champion. So many of our staff and students silently, proudly and incessantly do a little more.

These extraordinary people " see and feel the world " deeply because they lead with their hearts. It reminds me of a quote shared by my son’s incredible special education Instructional Assistant and his Special Education teacher to describe Jack—a young man who may be very limited in what he cognitively understands and physically sees, but possesses an extraordinary gift to feel everything, seeing far deeper than most ever could:

Be the one who “sees”.

Be the one who “sees” the hurting and gives.

Be the one who “sees” beyond the shadows and loves.

Be the one who “sees” the lost and shows up.

Be the one who “sees” the cart of food that someone who suddenly realizes they cannot afford it all and buys it for them.

Be the one who "sees" someone needing a hand and simply helps.

We need a world of “seeing”.

In a world full of noise, uncertainty, and distraction, choosing to truly see someone with your heart can transform a life. Too many people "see" but are blind to what matters most- kindness, letting go of things and doing things for others unconditionally. They are some of the most important gifts we can offer our students and each other. In The Breakfast Club, the students leave us with a quiet warning: "You see us as you want to see us." But at DHS, our mission is to do the exact opposite. We commit to seeing each student for who they truly are—valuing their unique individuality, celebrating their personal strengths, and guiding them along the distinct pathway that will help them thrive.

I am profoundly honored and humbled to stand alongside our Faculty, Assistant Principals, Team Chair, School Counseling staff including Social Workers, Directors of Student Services, Curriculum, Athletics and Fine Arts, Library Media Staff, Administrative Assistants, Nurses, Instructional Assistants, Behavior Techs, BCBA’s, OT’s and PT’s, SRO, IT, Food Service and DPW staff, Coaches, Advisors, and School Psychologists as well as our Central Office Staff and Administrative Team, School Committee, Town Officials, First Responders and community partners who give their hearts and support our students every single day. We know there is always more to learn and more room to grow, but we are united by an unshakable belief: when we lead with love, empathy, kindness, and accountability there is nothing we cannot achieve together. Our unrelenting drive is to help your students find their pathway from day one, which begins this year with our exciting new Freshman Seminar class.

May your week be filled with seeing the beauty around you, may even one person see the beauty within you and most importantly may our students recognize the extraordinary light within themselves.

Be well, be safe, and above all, be at peace.

Alan

Alan Strauss, Principal

Follow us on instagram @DHSfalconpride

IMPORTANT FIRST DAY INFORMATION

Dear Danvers High School Students and Families,

We are excited to welcome all students back to Danvers High School on Tuesday, September 8th, for the first day of school!

To help the first morning run smoothly, please review the following arrival procedures:

First Day Schedule and Arrival

Arrival: Students should arrive at Danvers High School on or before 7:20 am.
Before 7:25 am: All students will report to the Atrium to pick up a paper copy of their schedule.
Between 7:25-7:30 am: Students will report to their last period class (F Block) to place their cell phone in the cell phone locker.
After dropping off their cell phone in their F Block classroom, students will report to their A Block class.

Important: Students should take a screenshot on their computers of their schedules. Additionally, students should keep the paper copy of their schedule in an easily accessible, safe place.

We know the first day can be exciting and a little hectic, so our staff will be available throughout the building to help students find their classrooms and get settled.

We look forward to a great start to the 2026–2027 school year!

DANVERS HIGH SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY

As you know, during the spring it was announced that DHS would implement a new cell phone policy beginning in September as it is abundantly clear that more and more students, regardless of grade are struggling to remain focused in class as their attention wanders to their devices. It is also clear that the state legislature is working towards implementing a full bell to bell restriction in all schools beginning in the 2026-2027 school year and this will allow all of us to begin shifting towards this ruling.

There will be ongoing opportunities to review this policy throughout the school year, incorporating feedback from all stakeholders. However, it was clear to administration, staff and the community early last year that a change was needed. This change aims to foster a more focused, safe and supportive learning environment. As you may have read, the State Legislature is moving towards a full cell phone ban for the 26-27 school year and our version will allow the school and the district to carefully survey how to best move forward should the law be enacted.

Recent research and experience in schools across the country show that reducing cell phone use during the school day decreases classroom distractions and improves students’ engagement with teachers and peers. Studies have found that students without access to cell phones during school hours perform better and demonstrate stronger social skills. Furthermore, limiting phones helps reduce incidents of cyberbullying and misuse of social media, both of which have increased among teens in school settings. We encourage you, if you have not already done so, to read excerpts from the book The Anxious Generation, which emphasizes the long term ramifications of students and their extended social media and cellphone use.

Many experts, including the U.S. Surgeon General and educators nationwide, are concerned about the impact of excessive cell phone use on one's mental health and wellbeing. Teens who spend more than three hours daily on social media are much more likely to experience anxiety and depression. By limiting phone use at school, we can not only enhance the academic experience but also help protect students’ mental health and encourage healthier interpersonal interactions.

Our policy also helps ensure all students learn responsible digital habits and to use their devices appropriately. We recognize technology is an important learning tool, but balance and boundaries are essential. When cell phone use is limited to appropriate times, students are better able to focus on learning and face-to-face communication, habits of mind that are vital both now and in the future.

We know that safety and the ability to communicate are priorities for families. In emergency situations or for specific medical needs, accommodations will be made. If your child has a particular documented medical need that requires phone access, please contact your students assistant principal and counselor for support prior to the first day of school.

We know this will be a shift of varying degrees for everyone yet it is a necessary step for our students. Thank you for your support as we take steps to improve our school climate, student wellbeing, and their academic and future success. For additional information about daily cell phone procedures and consequences, please see below. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, or suggestions to Mrs LeBlanc leblanc@danvers.org , Mr Hamilton hamilton@danvers.org or Mr Strauss strauss@danvers.org

COMMUNITY BLOCK UPDATE:

Over the summer, several community blocks were adjusted due to a variety of factors. Please check schedules carefully, as student placements may have changed. While this may be an adjustment, all students should report to the rooms listed on their Powerschool schedule during the first weeks of school. More information will be given at upcoming assemblies, and additional opportunities will be provided for any questions.

Meet Our New Faculty

Ainsley Brouse - Band Director

Hi Everyone! My name is Ainsley Brouse and I am excited to serve as Danvers High School’s next band director! I am originally from a rural town in upstate New York, but more recently I lived in Syracuse, New York where I attended Syracuse University and received my Master’s degree in Wind Conducting and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. While at Syracuse, I loved performing with “The Pride of the Orange” Marching Band, and attending lots of basketball games with the University’s pep band. I am so excited to be joining the Danvers school district and community, and continuing the school's accomplished history in the performing arts. I’m also excited to become a New Englander and enjoy all the things it has to offer. I love the outdoors, specifically hiking, so I look forward to checking some of the big NH 48ers off my list! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer, and I look forward to meeting everyone and making some music when the school year starts!

Blanca DeGrenier - Spanish Teacher

My name is Blanca DeGrenier and I am originally from Mexico, from the desert, Sonora! I have been in the United States for almost 22 years. I was born, raised and educated in Mexico. I studied Business Administration in my country. I worked for a transnational company where I met my now husband and after two years we got married. We have two children, Lucas 16 yo and Sofia 13 yo. I moved to MA right after we got married. After living in MA for 6 years we moved to Arizona. We lived in AZ for 10 years, where I became an elementary teacher, and I loved it! We came back to MA during the pandemic, and I changed my teaching path moving to secondary grades. I taught Spanish in Middle School for the first year and then I taught Spanish in High School the last four years. This coming year will be my 6th year as a Spanish teacher and my first year at Danvers High School. I am truly excited to start this new journey as a Spanish teacher at Danvers High School and to be part of a new community to build new relationships with students, colleagues and families. I am also excited to share my native language and culture with my students while helping them grow academically and develop valuable communication skills. In my free time I like to go to the beach with my family, cook new recipes, and listen to podcasts. I love to go for walks with our dog Ginger, a red Labrador Retriever. Another activity that I enjoy so much is to spend as much time as I can with my family in Mexico. I love to visit and eat Mexican sweet bread with coffee with my mother, sister and aunts. I love the summer and fall in MA, I am still not sure about winters!

Olivia Goodright - Team Chair

It is a pleasure to introduce myself as the new Team Chair at DHS and to join this wonderful community. I hope you are enjoying these final, relaxing days of summer!

I began my career as a special education teacher, working in both private and public school settings. For the past five years, I have had the opportunity to serve as an assistant principal, where I have enjoyed supporting students, collaborating with staff, and helping to foster a positive school culture. I am especially excited to return to special education in this new role, as collaboration and building meaningful relationships have always been among the most rewarding parts of my work.

I believe every student deserves the opportunity to thrive and to feel valued for who they are. I also believe that our students are best supported when educators and families work together, share their perspectives, celebrate individual strengths, and build trusting partnerships. I look forward to learning from the expertise and experiences of our staff and families and working together to support our students throughout the year.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family, practicing yoga, and taking every opportunity to hit the slopes during ski season. These activities bring a wonderful balance to my life, and I look forward to getting to know all of you and becoming part of the DHS community.

I am excited to begin this new chapter and to meet our students, families, and staff. Please know that my door is always open, and I welcome the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and listen. I look forward to working alongside all of you and celebrating the many successes we will share during the 2026–2027 school year!

Philip Goudie - Health & Wellness Teacher

Hello, my name is Philip Goudie. I am excited start teaching Health & Wellness at Danvers High School this coming school year. Health and Physical Education were my favorite subjects growing up because they provided knowledge and skills that I used every day. I am excited to start working in Danvers' wonderful community and to pass on my passion for healthy, active lifestyles with the students in the hope that they too are inspired to be lifelong learners about their own health.

When I am not teaching, I love being active, reading, and spending time with my family and two cats. For physical activity, I love to run, play soccer, swim, ride my bike, do yoga, and go to the gym. I am a big fan of fantasy and science fiction books, and am currently enjoying the Dune series in preparation for the final movie of the trilogy coming out at the end of the year. I also love ice cream and my favorite place to get it is Cherry Farm Creamery.

Finally, a fun fact about me: I have two beautiful cats who I adopted 4 years ago. Yes, they are the cats on my shirt in my provided picture. I like to wear a fun shirt every Friday, so if you ever need a conversation starter about school that goes beyond asking what is happening and hearing that your student did "nothing" all day (I too was guilty of this with my parents...) ask "did Mr. Goudie wear his cat shirt this week?" They may laugh, roll their eyes, or be embarrassed; but hopefully they will always remember their Health teacher who always wore a Hawaiian cat shirt with his cats on it, a smile, and always made them feel welcome in class.

Have a wonderful rest of your summer and I can't wait to meet everyone in September!

Zach Leach - Choir Director

Mr. Leach comes to Danvers High School having spent the last year as the Holten Richmond Middle School General Music Teacher and Choral Director with five years of prior teaching experience at the elementary, high school, and collegiate levels. During his Masters program as a graduate assistant in Choral Conducting and Vocal Pedagogy at East Carolina University, he conducted the ECU Collegiate Choir, co-lead masterclasses for visiting high school singers, and was a section leader for the internationally recognized ECU Chamber Singers. Mr. Leach strives to create a space where students of all experience levels can grow musically, take risks, and develop as confident performers and ensemble members.

Mr. Leach considers one of his greatest strengths as an educator to be his ability to utilize a wide range of musical styles and genres. He has taught and performed across genres including classical, broadway, contemporary, a cappella, jazz, and sacred music. Mr. Leach enjoys curating diverse programs and curriculum that both challenges and excites students. He has found that thoughtful programming plays a vital role in helping students feel connected, empowered, and motivated.

Aaron Manes - Instructional Assistant

Hi everyone! My name is Aaron, and I’m excited to be here for my first year. I’ve been working as a paraprofessional for the past 14 years and really enjoy helping students learn and grow.

When I’m not at school, you’ll usually find me at Stiles Pond Day Camp, where I spend my summers as the Camp Director. Before working at camp, I also served as a high rowing coach for over 10 years.

I live in Lynnfield with my wife, Adrienne, our two daughters, Caroline and Annabel, our two Labs, Jake and Teddy, and our two Maine Coon cats, Archie and Pinky. Between the kids and all the pets, there’s never a dull moment!

I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and having a great year!

Lilli Peluso - Instructional Assistant

Hello! My name is Lilli, and I am so excited to be working with the DHS community this year as an Instructional Assistant! I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and have worked in the district since graduating. Outside of school, I love baking, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and going on adventures around Boston. A fun fact about me is that I graduated from Danvers High School in 2020 and I have two French Bulldogs! I look forward to getting to know the students and families at DHS and am excited for a wonderful school year together!

Andrew Russell - Math Teacher

Hello, my name is Andrew Russell, and I am excited for my first year as a math teacher at Danvers High School. Math has always been a passion of mine, and as a result, I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics at UMass Lowell. After gaining teaching experience in college and at Winchester High School last spring, I am thrilled to be teaching full time at DHS beginning this fall.

Outside of the classroom, I will be the assistant cross country coach during the fall season. I have been a distance runner since high school, and I look forward to the opportunity to promote consistency, perseverance, and hard work with a new group of athletes. Some of my favorite hobbies include sports, art (painting, drawing, etc.), and photography. I am delighted to join the DHS community and to create a classroom environment that promotes student learning, growth, and success as we progress through the 2026–2027 school year.

Thomas Walfield - Business Teacher

Hello! My name is Thomas Walfield and this year I will be teaching business at Danvers High School. I am a graduate from the Isenberg School of Management at Umass Amherst, and for the past 2 years I have worked at the Northshore Education Consortium in their Soar & Embark program. Along with being a teacher at Danvers, I am also an assistant football coach at DHS. In my free time I love to be outdoors, and thoroughly enjoy fishing and golfing. I am thrilled to be joining such a great district, and can’t wait to start working with the wonderful staff and students at DHS.

POWER SCHOOL LOG-IN FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS:

Do you need help logging in to your Power School Parent Portal?

Need help with your PowerSchool account? Please email powerschool@danvers.org for assistance with:

Your PowerSchool credentials
Resetting your password
Students missing from your account

This will create a help desk ticket for our IT team.

Thank you!

STUDENT LOCKERS: (Update)

If your student would like a locker for the 2026–2027 school year, please have them see Mrs. Brennan or Mrs. Chmura in the Main Office to be assigned one. Lockers will not be assigned automatically this year. Students will not have access to a locker unless they have received an assignment through the Main Office.

ATHLETICS

Please see here for all things Athletics!

DHS PERFORMING ARTS UPDATE

Please see below for important updates regarding the performing arts at DHS.

FALL MUSICAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Fall Musical at DHS will be MAMMA MIA! An information meeting for students interested in cast and crew will be on Tuesday, September 15th from 3pm - 4pm. Auditions will be the week of September 21st. For more information, visit our theater updates page.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF: We are excited to welcome all of our new staff to the performing arts department this year. Ms. Ainsley Brouse (Band Director), Mr. Zach Leach (Choral Director), Mr. Bradford Robinson (Theater Director), and Ms. Rychell Hayes (Technical Director). Mr. Grover is stepping in to full-time Director of Fine Arts for the district and will still be helping out with some extracurricular activities at the high school.

ENDICOTT LIVE: One of our performing arts students, Hadley Beaulieu, is organizing an event called “Endicott Live” with her DECA group to raise awareness about the anniversary of Endicott Park and its new initiatives. The event, which will include performances (open mic style), will be on Saturday, September 19th from 1pm - 4pm and is a community celebration of music, art, and connection. If you are a student interested in performing, fill out this form and get in touch with Hadley! Feel free to bring friends and family for this day of fun at the park!!

All music and theater events for the year can be found on the program's website: www.danversperformingarts.org/calendar. If you have any questions related to performing arts programming, contact Mr. Grover - alexandergrover@danvers.org

IMPORTANT DATES AT DHS

Please see here for important dates at DHS

A NOTE FROM OUR NURSES

Please see here for important information from our school nurses.

DHS TRANSPORTATION 2026/2027

Bus registration usually opens in August each year

If you plan to have your student ride the bus, register so we can have an accurate bus list to start the school year.

Register
Pay bus fee on E-Funds (If requesting a bus fee waiver, skip the payment option)

Bus seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. All registrations will be time-stamped at the time of registration.

School bus routes can be found on the transportation page. Choose the stop closest to your home to determine which bus your child will take. If you have any bus routing questions, send them to pulsifer@danvers.org. You can also call 978-774-4800 ext 2274.