This year's return to school is one for the books

A brand new year at Housatonic Valley Regional High School began on Monday, Aug. 30, under some unusual conditions (see story, below). However, there were still bouts of positive energy radiating from the students and faculty down every hallway.

The new acting assistant principal, David Bayersdorfer, who just retired in June from Housatonic, was welcomed back with open arms. He was hardly able to get through his back-to-school speech in the auditorium Monday morning without getting storms of applause from students.

“I feel great, it’s a great feeling. Kids have been so receptive to this,� Bayersdorfer said after his speech.

Students said in conversations after the speech that they feel it will be a positive change to know that such a fair person will be in charge of student discipline at the high school.

In his speech, Bayersdorfer said that, “Due to circumstances beyond your control and my control, I am here. I am here because this school has been an important part of my adult life. I am here because Housatonic students mean a great deal to me, and I am here because the teachers and staff have my utmost admiration.�

Bayersdorfer, who is a Salisbury resident, taught history at the high school for 33 years. He was also the school’s athletic director for many years.

Region One Superintendent Patricia Chamberlain would not allow this reporter to interview students on the school grounds on Monday morning. But after school, several students were interviewed (and got parental permission to be quoted in the newspaper).

They were asked if they know what has been going on at the school in the past few weeks, with the resignation of Principal Gretchen Foster and Assistant Principal Mary Ann Buchanan just before school started.  

Luke Hitchcock of North Canaan, a junior at Housatonic this year, said he’s enthusiastic about Bayersdorfer taking the reins as the interim assistant principal.

“Things went well at the assembly today. Students were happy with Mr. Bayersdorfer being the assistant principal. There was a good reaction at the assembly when it was announced. I don’t know how long it will last, but I hope it does for awhile,� Luke said.

Cassy Worthington of Kent is also a junior this fall. “We got to  school and everything was very hectic, in my opinion,â€� said Cassy,  who was clearly well-informed about the goings-on at Housatonic in the past few weeks. She said she didn’t feel that most of the other students really knew what had been happening.

The first day went very smoothly in spite of the changes, she said — or perhaps even because of the changes.

She reported that, at the assembly,  teacher Larry Peck said that everyone at the school, from teachers to janitors to secretaries, was working together to compensate for the fact that there is no school principal right now.

“Between Mr. Bayersdorfer and Mr. Peck, it was a very inspirational speech about how we’re going to go down in history,� Cassy said.

Liz Cuoco is an intern at The Lakeville Journal and a 2010 graduate of Housatonic Valley Regional High School.