HIT: Innovation Lab

Thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Workforce Development Board, the Innovation Lab was installed our senior year. This enabled us to explore the Anatomage, a virtual dissection tool, 3D printers, and zSpace computers, a virtual reality tool.

MISS: New Schedule

No matter how you feel about the switch from a block schedule to a seven period schedule now, there was definitely an adjustment period this fall. We had to get used to more homework per night, less in depth classes, and shorter passing times during our last year, on top of applying to colleges and fighting crippling senioritis.

HIT: Marching Band: Back to Back to Back Champions

The DHS Marching Band won the NESBA finals three years in a row, a product of their hard work. Whether it be during football games or competitions, they always put on a good show.

MISS: The Timing of the New Finals Policy

Seniors don’t have to take finals worth 20% of their grade if they have an A in the class? Guess what? Neither does anyone else now. The year we had a hope of escaping those dreaded cumulative exams, they were done away with. Senior privileges are dead, people.

HIT: Having Two Principals

The switch from Principal John Gould to Ross Thibault allowed seniors to experience two different administrations and styles of leadership.

MISS: No College Acceptance Wall

The bulletin board display of seniors’ post-graduation plans has been the cause of some controversy during our time at Dartmouth High. Our sophomore year it was cancelled and then moved to the guidance office. Our junior year it came back, but a little different. And now our senior year, for unknown reasons, it has yet to be put up.

HIT: Football Team Won at Gillette

Freshman year we saw the football team win the state championship at Gillette. Although our football seasons since then haven’t reaped the same result, Friday night lights are always a hit, whether from the field or the stands.

MISS: Bomb Threat #1

Remember freshman year when we stayed in our classroom or the cafeteria with no idea why we were in lockdown? Remember when we were told it was just a test? Remember when our parents knew there was an active bomb threat at our school before we did? Good times.

MISS: Bomb Threat #2

A few months ago, DHS had another bomb threat. Classrooms were used as bathrooms and some dogs came to sniff around. More good times.

HIT: Class of 2019 Leaders

The Class of 2019 left its mark on DHS. Senior Shane Rose started DHS Gives Back, a group that works to raise awareness of student poverty. Game Change, a group that advocated for standing up to dating violence, was also started during our junior year and was primarily powered by the Class of 2019.

MISS: Tardy Policy

Junior year, Principal Ross Thibault instituted a new tardy policy – four unexcused tardies in a quarter constitutes a detention. Subsequent tardies result in a social suspension. If you’re anything like me, this wasn’t a big problem until it’s senior year, and you barely have enough motivation to drag yourself out of bed, let alone run from the back of the student parking lot before 7:30 a.m.

HIT: Iceland and Italy

The art department went global during our time at DHS, sponsoring trips to Iceland and Italy. For many of the students that participated, the beautiful sights and opportunity to experience another culture was a hit.

MISS: The Blocking of Snapchat

Many seniors downloaded a VPN this year to get around the Snapchat block. For those who didn’t, not being able to Snap their friends or post videos of a Chemistry experiment on their story was a definite miss.

HIT: Winning Pep Rally

After a less than ideal performance our junior year, seniors came back and won Pep Rally 2018. The event was so joyous that seniors left their seats in the bleachers and celebrated on the gym floor.

MISS: Everything is Blocked

Thanks to funding from the school choice program, DHS was able to enact its one to one initiative, granting every student a Chromebook. However, it is awfully frustrating when you’re trying to listen to NPR for a research project, listen to music while studying, or conduct a simple Google search, only to see the dreaded blue lock, accompanied by the word “RESTRICTED.”

HIT: Making Money

Seniors raised so much money through our fundraisers that we have an $18,000 surplus in our class funds, according to Vice President Sadie Thomas. This excess will be donated for after prom prizes.

MISS: The Snow Day Drought of 2019

After years of snow days causing us to finish school during the final days of June, we were anticipating getting out of class a month earlier than everyone else. Unfortunately, we were cursed with the year without snow and are now getting out only 12 school days earlier than the rest of DHS. Thanks to some lobbying by a few brave souls on Twitter, we did manage to wrangle a single snow day from Dr. Bonny Gifford.

HIT: Graduation (Finally)

The culmination of over 12 years of work. The day that has been long awaited. The final goodbye to DHS. Whether you’ll spend it reflecting on how much you’ll miss high school or considering walking out as soon as you grab your diploma, this is a milestone and a great accomplishment.