Steven Beals, Alvirne High principal; file photo

HUDSON — While the reason behind newly-hired Superintendent of Schools Jim Moulis’s decision to place popular, longtime Alvirne principal Steven Beals on administrative leave three weeks ago remains a mystery, many teachers, students and school staff cheered the news that Beals would be back in his office Monday.

In a brief email sent over the weekend, Moulis notified parents and students that Beals would be “returning from leave” on Monday.

Indications are that the action taken against Beals stemmed from activities at a school-wide pep rally that took place the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 9, ahead of that evening’s football game against Merrimack, which was Alvirne’s first home game of the season.

A deluge of comments and posts, mostly from students, some from parents and others from residents, began to inundate social media sites almost immediately after news that Beals had been placed on leave came down the following Monday.

Parents and students packed a School Board meeting that night, taking turns during the public comment period asking Moulis, who was present, and board members for more information on the decision.

Moulis briefly addressed the gathering, telling them he was in the process of “seeking more information” and that “as much as I’d like to, I’m not able to share any additional details.”

In the ensuing days, a petition posted to the change.org Website garnered scores of signatures a day, eventually reaching in the neighborhood of 20,000 signatures.

The episode also inspired two Alvirne High graduates, Cassie Shelley and Colin O’Neil, to launch a documentary project tracing the series of events over the three-week period.

Early on, Shelley wrote on a related Facebook site, she and O’Neil “have seen our community rally together to bring Steve Beals back … we’ve been inspired by the passion, community, and strength of Hudson (and) as a result, we are hoping to document this story as it unfolds.”

More information on the project, titled “Bring Back Beals,” can be found at www.facebook.com/BX3documentary.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.