Hansen’s newest principal expecting ‘great results’

When Canton school superintendent Jeff Granatino announced the selection of Peter Boucher as the new interim principal of the Hansen Elementary School, everyone was thrilled but almost no one was surprised.

With a list of initiatives and accomplishments that stretches a mile long, Boucher has done nothing but impress in the three short years he has been in Canton — and soon he will have the credentials to match, as he is just now wrapping up a master’s degree program in administration and educational leadership at Framingham State University.

Simply put, the guy never stops.

Hired in 2008 to lead the K-12 wellness department and coach the CHS girls’ cross country team, Boucher — who already had more than 15 years’ experience as a teacher and coach by the time he came to Canton — quickly made a name for himself as an energetic leader with an eye for innovation.

At the high school, where he taught physical education classes, Boucher became a ubiquitous presence. He obtained grant funding that enabled the school to bring in nationally recognized speakers on topics ranging from bullying and social isolation to substance abuse and drunk driving. He helped organize new initiatives such as the Boomerang Project – an acclaimed transition and peer-mentoring program for incoming freshmen — while helping to revive other programs such as S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

Boucher also found plenty of time to promote one of his strongest passions — physical fitness — not only through expanded curricular offerings but also through the creation of a brand-new CHS fitness center, which was named in honor of the late Scott Herr, a 2009 Canton High graduate.

And Boucher’s efforts were not just limited to the high school. In fact, two of his greatest sources of pride involve programs for elementary students: Unity Day, which brings together fifth graders from all three schools to better prepare them for middle school, and adventure programming, which emphasizes fitness and movement as well as team-building and group trust.

Then, of course, there’s nitroball — a form of “inverted volleyball” that Boucher invented a few years ago while leading a summer recreation program in Sarasota, Florida. Boucher brought the sport to CHS, and this past year, it was named the “Best New Activity Idea in America” by Gopher Sport in a contest that netted the wellness department a $12,500 grand prize.

Since winning the contest, Boucher has been invited to speak at a number of area colleges, and he was recently appointed to a national fitness advisory council. In addition, schools across the country can now purchase nitroball equipment through Gopher, and Boucher just finished a K-12 curriculum book that is due out in August, also marketed by Gopher.

Although admittedly proud of these accomplishments, Boucher said none of it would be possible without the support of so many within the Canton Public Schools.

“It seemed that every time we took on a challenge, someone somewhere stepped up to help us make the idea become a reality,” he said. “Canton is a very special place for that reason; I have worked in a few other districts, and we do things in Canton that just can’t get done in other places. Collaboration, communication, creativity, and a can-do attitude thrive here.”

Still, with the overnight success of nitroball and having just been named the 2011 Wellness Director of the Year by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, one might think that Boucher would want to stick to his current position.

And yet he seems to be quite comfortable having nitroball and many of his other accomplishments take a “back seat” while he pursues this new opportunity.

Actually, Boucher said he is thrilled to take a crack at the principalship and remains open to the possibility that it becomes a permanent position.

“I absolutely love the K-12 director of wellness position and will probably miss it if I give myself some quiet time to think,” he said. “I have made so many great friends and relationships in that job. However, the Hansen job is an amazing opportunity that I am going to throw 110 percent of my efforts into and see where things go. I am expecting great results all around.”

In terms of his immediate goals as Hansen’s newest principal, Boucher intends to “soak up as much information as possible this summer” so that he can hit the ground running in September. He also hopes to “collaborate and communicate effectively” with teachers and parents so that students remain “constantly curious and strive to learn every minute of every day.”

The good news, he said, is that the parents appear to be actively engaged in the school community, while the teachers and staff all work “super hard to encourage kids to be the best they can be every day.”

From Boucher’s vantage point, it’s a perfect recipe for success — not to mention a major reason why he agreed to take this leap of faith in the first place.

Ultimately, Boucher hopes he can help make the Hansen school a “hotbed of constant creativity, curiosity, learning and fun.”

“Having input and influence in decisions that are directly designed to help children grow is very powerful and very rewarding,” he said. “Encouraging and inspiring others to ‘stretch’ on many levels and in every sense of the word is a very nice feeling at the end of the day.”

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Posted by Jay Turner on Jun 29 2011. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.