The end of an era is a commonly used phrase to describe an event that puts a stop to a notable part of life. Whether this be the end of the Renaissance era, or the end of the Great Depression, time incites change, and old must always give way to the new.

Following former principal Kerry Lynch, Dr. John Gould was instated as the new principal of DHS, and after three years, he is resigning from his position at the end of this school year.

While he has enjoyed working at DHS, he felt that it’s time to give more attention to life at home. “I have to be there for my kids,” he said. “These three years have been very meaningful and fulfilling for me, and it’s been my pleasure to serve Dartmouth, but family is priority number one.”

His favorite part of the job was getting the chance to work with the students, particularly being able to assist in any problems the students may have. He believed that it was an honor to help people in any way he could.

Dr. Gould also surmised that great strides had been achieved in the functioning of the school. “I think that we’ve moved from a very adult-centered building to a student-centered building,” he said.

News of his resignation spread like wildfire throughout the halls of the school. Naturally, such a tremendous change garnered diverse reactions.

Sophomore McKenzie Canuel is happy for Dr. Gould. She said, “I’m glad he now has other opportunities for his future.” While it is unknown, even to Dr. Gould himself, whether or not he will be moving on to another school, he does have the opportunity to spend well-needed quality time with his family.

Art Teacher Christine McFee said, “I understand the desire to be near his family. He has young children that participate in many activities, and the long commute certainly must interfere with his ability to support them.”

Spanish Teacher Lili Chamberlain appreciates all that he has done for her. “Dr. Gould hired me,” she said. “I’ve always been grateful that he gave me my job.”

Many students were entertained by impersonations mocking Dr. Gould for his various habits, including his seriousness. However, his dedication to preserving school spirit, including having three pep rallies last year, as opposed to the usual one during Spirit Week, did not go unappreciated.

Senior Arielle Enos said, “It’s kind of bittersweet. He did bring some positive things to DHS. He supported the band, he made it a strong point to support our sports teams and show school spirit. I just feel like he brought a different level of seriousness that we weren’t accustomed to, so there were a lot of people that weren’t very supportive of him as our principal.”

A popular consensus among the student body was that Dr. Gould wasn’t particularly impactful.

Junior Brandon McNeil said, “I haven’t really seen any effects of Dr. Gould working here. I can’t say I’m happy or sad that he’s leaving here because I don’t know what he’s done.”

The people who were able to form a substantive reaction to Dr. Gould leaving tended to be on Student Council, as they worked with him closely. Many students never spoke to him, making it difficult for them to determine if he did a suitable job as a leader.

Sophomore Sarah Jorge didn’t believe Dr. Gould was helpful as he claimed to be. She said, “I wish he followed through with being ‘for the students.’”

No matter the opinion of Dr. Gould’s adequacy as a principal, it is safe to say that DHS wishes him good luck on his future endeavors.