Danvers High School Starts Academic Year with a Bang

Sure to please students and parents alike, Principal Susan Ambrozavitch has enthusiastically shared several new initiatives underway this year at . 

Progress on the of the North and South Cores continues and students will attend school at the Dunn Wing until the Friday prior to April vacation. This year 300 freshman will be included in the total enrollment of 1100 students.

“Students will be asked to take their books home and upon return from vacation, our move back --including students, the central office, administration and all -- will be complete,” says Ambrozavitch.

Seven new teachers will join the faculty this year. Three special education teachers welcomed on board include Jessica Christin, John Douglas, and Ryan Hayes, of the DRIVE Program.Two teachers transfered from the including Don White, who will teach English and Sean Rogers teaching health and will coach the football team.  Spanish teacher Mayra Figueroa has transferred from the Odyssey School in Boston, and Alison Lindstrom will teach Biology.

Curriculum will get a boost with a . An outgrowth of the National Math and Science Initiative, this initiative is geared toward increasing student participation in Advanced Placement, (AP) courses in the disciplines of math, science, engineering, technology, English and the language arts. The grant is privately funded by the likes of ExxonMobil Corporation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Ambrozavitch, along with Curriculum Director Peggy McElhinney, wrote the grant.

“We’ll kick-off in October and we are excited about offering these programs and increasing enrollment,” said Ambrozavitch.

This year enrollment increased to 119 from 110 students. The multi-course curriculum offers 300 AP exams. In addition, the grant affords teacher training. Faculty will be attending a professional development institute in order to help prepare them for teaching the program.

Ambrozavitch was proud to inform that the Advisor/Advisee Program would be in full force. Each student is connected to one adult to advise and offer information throughout the student’s high school years. 

Students will be able to enjoy extracurricular activities including joining the cycling club, theatre, and sports.

The DHS band will look forward to a long-awaited trip to Hawaii where they will perform in the 70^th annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade during the Thanksgiving game season.

“Mr. Parsons, our band director and music director, is gearing up for this and a special Veteran’s Memorial Day Program,” said Ambrozavitch.

For more information about Danvers High School, go to: http://www.danvers.mec.edu/dhs.cfm