Danvers schools chief to retire amid inquiry into hockey case

After the Globe report, the attorney general’s civil rights division opened an investigation into the school district’s handling of the case.

Dana and her administration have been sharply criticized by human rights groups, elected officials, and the Danvers Teachers’ Association.

No reason was given for Dana’s medical leave, although she complained at a school board meeting in December that a media “firestorm” over the hockey case caused her and others emotional distress.

“For the protection of my own mental health, I had to quickly learn not to look at the social media comments while at the same time take a critical look at how the situation was handled,” Dana said.

While she remains on leave, her duties have been assumed by acting co-superintendents Keith Taverna and Mary Wermers, both former Assistant superintendents. The School Committee has extended their contracts until May 31, when, the board said, the situation will be reevaluated.

Dana, 55, is the latest Danvers Administrator involved in the hockey case to leave the district. The high school principal, Jason Colombino, and the Assistant principal, Sean Emberley, moved on. Taverna announced in March that they will depart in early June to work in another district.

The hockey Coach at the time, Danvers Police Sergeant Stephen Baldassare, also Resigned from the Athletic staff. Baldassare remains in charge of the district’s school police officers despite calls in the community for him to be reassigned from working with students.

A member of Baldassare’s team told the Globe that several teammates restrained him in the Locker room and beat his face with a plastic sex toy because he refused to shout the n-word as part of a ritual. In another ritual, the player said he was touched on the buttocks after team leaders directed players to strip naked in the dark.

Many of Baldassare’s players also participated in a team group text chain rife with Deeply Offensive racial, homophobic, and antisemitic language and images.

Baldassare has denied knowing anything about the alleged transgressions.

Athletic director Andrew St. Pierre also remains on the job amid complaints that he failed to properly supervise the hockey team. The high school wrestling team last fall was also temporarily suspended after a fight broke out when a student confronted a member of the team over his alleged use of racial language.

The fight led to the Discovery of a team group chat that contained hateful and biased language, according to the new principal, Adam Federico, who has been seen as helping to improve the school’s culture.

As for Dana, the School Committee chose in March 2021 to extend her contract through 2026, at a salary of nearly $ 197,000, despite complaints in the community about the district’s handling of the hockey case. There was no mention in the board’s statement Tuesday about how, or if, the contact has been renegotiated.

Instead, the committee focused on Dana’s contributions to the community.

“Dr. Dana has had a long, productive, and beneficial relationship with the district, and we support her decision, ”the statement said. “Dr. Dana has been with Danvers Public Schools for 32 years and served as a superintendent for nearly 18 years. She is currently the longest serving superintendent on the North Shore. ”

The committee praised Dana for overseeing the construction of three school buildings, for supporting families affected by a 2006 chemical fire that damaged more than 90 homes in town, and for helping to address an influx of families in 2015 as part of a state program to house the homeless in Danvers hotels.

Dana was also credited with leading the community through the tragedy of a high school student murdering a math teacher, Colleen Ritzer, in 2013, and for guiding the school system through the Pandemic.

The board said, “We thank Dr. Dana for her many contributions and wish her a happy and healthy retirement.”

Bob Hohler can be reached at [email protected].