Paul Peri, WHS principal for the past four years, will be stepping down from his position at the end of the current school year. He will be leaving Weston to pursue the next phase of his career as the assistant superintendent in Medway. 

   “After careful consideration and reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to pursue a new central office opportunity in my career journey,” Peri stated in his formal announcement. “While this decision was not made lightly, I am confident that it is the right step for both personal and professional growth.”

   This announcement has been met with sadness from a lot of students due to Peri’s active involvement in the student community.

   “Mr. Peri’s a really great guy; he’s always in the hallways greeting people in the morning and checking in on us,” senior Ellie McNulty said. “He’s always asking for student input and definitely cares about the student body and how we feel about the decisions being made in the district.”

   After 19 years of acting as principal in three different schools, Peri’s new position will give him the opportunity to focus more on assisting teachers and students throughout a school district, not just in one school.

   “I’m really excited to be a part of the central office faculty, and I’ll really get to lean into helping teachers and administrators to be their best selves. I’ll do all I can to help them and support them and protect them,” said Peri. “I’m at a stage in my career where working with the educators, who have the greatest impact on students, is very exciting and rewarding for me.”

   The faculty at WHS have appreciated Peri’s guidance, and wish him the best of luck in his new career.

   “In his time here I have found him to be a great mentor,” said science department head Stephen Ribisi. “Whenever I’ve talked to him about difficult topics, he’s always made me feel better because he prioritizes his relationships with people. I think he’s going to be an amazing assistant superintendent, and we have been really lucky to have had him here.”

   Despite having an atypical start to his career at WHS due to Covid,  Peri’s leadership allowed the school to thrive during a time of unparalleled uncertainty.

    “It was a really unknown time for all of us, but Weston was a leader in the state in regards to the work done during that time, and I’m proud of how we’ve come out of it,” said Peri.

   Colleagues recognized the hard work Peri had to undertake during Covid.

   “He handled some really tough  situations through Covid and has been a strong leader through difficult times,” said assistant principal Susan Bairstow. “He has been a true pleasure to work with and has taught me what educational leadership looks like.”

   As much of an impression as Peri has left on Weston, he will not be forgetting WHS anytime soon; he has a lot of fond memories he’ll take with him.

   “The students and teachers are outstanding, I love the administrative team I’ve gotten to work with, and so many members of the Weston community are just the absolute best people,” Peri said. “It’s a very special community and a very special school.”

   The admiration Peri feels toward the WHS community is reciprocated by many students who appreciate his efforts to get to know every student as an individual.

   “When I was in the weightlifting club, he encouraged me and cheered me on,” said freshman Afraz Rafan. “Even in the hallways, he’s a chill dude to crack jokes with.”

   The WHS faculty also have noticed how much Peri cares about students and the community as a whole.

   “Mr. Peri was great about chaperoning school dances and waiting until every student got picked up, which I really appreciated as a faculty advisor,” said special education teacher Rachel Orenstein.

   While Peri’s time at Weston will soon be ending, he hopes the community will remember some of the lessons he’s tried to impart throughout his four years. 

   “Be kind to one another, get involved, get connected, and go dominate this thing we call life,” said Peri. “It’s really been an honor and a privilege to serve as your high school principal. I’ll never forget my time here, and I’ll truly forever be a Wildcat.”