Danvers Superintendent to Retire Amid Investigation Into High School Hockey Team

The superintendent of schools in Danvers, Massachusetts, has announced her retirement amid the continued investigation into the district's handling of hazing allegations.

Dr. Lisa Dana was not available for comment Wednesday. The school committee issued a statement, but did not draw any connection between her decision to retire and the hazing scandal on the Danvers High School hockey team.

After more than three decades working in the Danvers School District, Dana is calling this year her last.

She went out on medical leave at the end of last year, just weeks after troubling allegations surrounding the boys' hockey team came to light.

A former Danvers hockey player claimed the 2019-2020 team was holding violent, racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic rituals inside their locker room as part of the hazing of underclassmen.

The head coach has since resigned. The high school principal and assistant principal have also moved on to roles outside the district.

A fight over a racist video from three years earlier also sparked a fight between two students in December, leading school officials to suspend the wrestling team.

Some parents and community organizations have called for Dana to resign after she was accused of covering up the misconduct allegations.

The school committee issued a statement that did not mention the controversy, but instead praised Dana for being the longest-serving superintendent in Danvers history.

"Dr. Lisa Dana worked to develop a solid administrative team as well as faculty and staff that are focused on educating and supporting the students of Danvers," the statement read. "We know they remain committed to the district as we begin to search for our next superintendent."

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office would not comment specifically about the case, other than to confirm the investigation continues into the district's handling of the misconduct allegations.