Current freshman academy principal, Dan Donovan, will be taking over the position of Danbury High School principal for the 2016-2017 school year.

Students and teachers alike are excited for Donovan and believe he will strive in his future position.

Sophomore Lawrens Buissereth said he believes Donovan will find continued success in his new role leading the entire school.

“He’s cool. He’s a nice guy. As the new principal, I hope he continues to be a good leader,” Buissereth said.

Junior Alex Piccarreto sees him as a strong leader and hopes the best for him next year.

“He was a good freshman principal. He really cared about the students and took initiative.” Piccarreto said. “As a principal, he needs to stress the GPA and the importance of it in the future.”

Freshman history teachers Emily Pardalis and Danny Martins have worked with Donovan for the past six years and have appreciated and cherished their time with him.

“He is very understanding and gets to know each of his staff members. He knows how to deal with each of us and our personalities,” Pardalis said.

She also praises his connection with the freshmen.

“He brings an aura of calmness. The kids know him and his presence. They are not fearful of him, but respectful of him,” Pardalis said.

Martins also acclaims the time he has had working with with Donovan and the improvements Donovan has made to the Freshman Academy.

“He has impacted a lot of lives. He has helped decrease the number of failures that the freshman have gone through and he has decreased the number of referrals with the system he has help put in place for the freshman academy,” Martins said.

Martins also states that it has been an honor to work with him.

“It has been a great privilege to learn from him. He’s a very impressive man to work with,” says Martins.

Both Pardalis and Martins are sad to see him go, but excited to encounter the success he will have in the coming years.

Pardalis states, “I have such mixed feelings because I am so happy for him and I know that’s what he really wants, but I don’t want to lose him up here [D4].”

“It’s a very sad thing to see him go because he has done such a great job and it’s become so easy to know that he is there all the time. Having to adjust to somebody else will be a challenge, but it will be a new chapter,” Martins said.

Principal Gary Bocaccio was looking for someone who knew Danbury High School, as well as the community and culture.

“I wanted someone who was passionate about students and education. Someone who would be supportive and someone who would have a vision for continuing improvement,” Bocaccio said.

He is very excited and pleased with the selection of Donovan.

Bocaccio  says, “He is a man of very high character. He is very bright. He is very forward thinking. He has a vision for Danbury High School. He fits the attributes and clearly loves students and children so he will be a perfect fit.”

Donovan says the role of principal was something he has been planning for. He had to resign as football coach to work on building his credentials for the job. He is sad to leave the Freshman Academy but is optimistic about the future of it.

“I have made some great relationships with the people I have worked with over the past six years. I’ll be upset about leaving, but its time. [The academy] is in a good place;  we will find someone good to come in here and take it over,” says Donovan.

The biggest responsibility for him when he takes on the new role will be keeping up with all the students and activities in such a large school.

Donovan states, “There is so much going on in this building. I have to learn to manage the time.”

Donovan does not plan on implementing any big programs or drastic changes in his first year.

He believes that the school and community is excited because of his connection to Danbury.

“It’s personal for me that this high school becomes one of the best high schools in the state. We already know we do a fantastic job here but it’s my job to make sure that the rest of the state knows,” says Donovan.

Siblings Caroline Messuri, senior, and Paul Messuri, sophomore, had nothing but nice things to say about their encounters with Donovan.

Paul Messuri says, “He’s pretty funny and outgoing. He is always nice to me and always helps me out.”

Caroline Messuri states, “Mr. Donovan cares for not only the freshman students, but the entire DHS student body. His passion and dedication to our school is shown each and everyday and can be seen by everyone.”