Mona Gelfgatt and Ila Bumagin, Juniors – ASSISTANT EDITORS
As Mr. Dan Bauer’s seventh year at Marblehead High reached its midpoint, we were sad to hear he would be moving to Danvers to be their school superintendent. But, he has left a wonderful legacy in his wake. Before working at Marblehead High, he was vice-principal at Beverly High School. He said he enjoys “meeting new people, making new relationships, learning the town, getting to know what’s happening.” He did that at Marblehead High and has become an integral part of our community.
We asked him what his greatest hope was for MHS in future years, and what work he was most proud of here. The most important thing to him is continued student connections between each other and with teachers. He says, “There’s a lot of students who created clubs and really take action. The more students are involved with the school, the better the school, and the better the students do in school.” He wants to keep the feeling of community warmth and welcoming that he has created at the school.
Mrs. Michele Carlson will be taking Mr. Bauer’s position as principal next year. So, we asked how she will work to keep his agenda, and what some of her goals are at the high school. He explained how she has been working in Marblehead schools for ten years, longer than he has. So, she knows the community and the town very well, and the two have worked together a lot. He says, “She’s seen so many changes, and values student involvement. She’s seen how the school has moved in a positive direction and will be able to continue it.” Especially, he thinks she will work on student involvement (which was down during/post COVID), and keeping a positive school environment.
We talked about his favorite memories at MHS, and what he will miss the most here. Some of his favorite memories included being part of the school musicals, the freshman Day of Service, Senior Project, and the success of athletic teams. Most importantly, he said that he loved watching students grow over their four years at the high school and making the most of their opportunities.
What he will miss the most is the small, daily connections he had with staff and students. He said it takes a while to build up that relationship with coworkers and students in a new school, and as superintendent he will be more removed from students’ daily life. He says, “It’s an exciting challenge, but I will definitely miss those small connections.” He will really miss this because of his love for teaching. He was always surprised that he became a teacher, but he realized that he looked up to his own high school principal, who prioritized student connections. That’s “pretty cool,” he says.
Mr. Bauer shared that he learned a lot from his transition to MHS, and he thinks that set the tone for his wonderful experience here. He is looking forward to using his knowledge from his principal job as superintendent and making new relationships in Danvers. In addition, he says, “I like to feel that you can make a difference. Working with a larger scope is an interesting opportunity. I’m reaching the end of my career, so I want to be able to have a larger scope.”
We saved the hardest question for last – how would you like people to view your time at MHS? He thought for a moment, and then said, “I hope the school is better today than it was when I arrived. It’s a warm place, a friendly place where people work together and strive to be their best. It’s all about moving on and leaving something better. I think that’s the goal in life, and then you will be successful.”
Mr. Bauer has certainly left a great legacy at MHS, and all the students will miss him. He has inspired everyone to be their best, and to spread kindness to our community and beyond. Thank you for seven incredible years!