As Manhattan High bids welcome to students both old and new, it says goodbye to someone who has walked its halls much longer than those students have.

Greg Hoyt has announced that he plans to retire at the end of the 2018-2019 school year after 16 years of teaching and six years as principal at MHS.  

Though it is his last year at the school, Hoyt still intends to hard for his students and faculty while maintaining his leadership role.

“I want everybody to have a fantastic school year,” Hoyt said. “I try and carry on and do the best that we can do for the students that we have coming to school this year.”

Hoyt has no concrete plans as to what he will do after his time at school has ended, though he does know that whatever he does will be in Manhattan.

“It’s something totally new and different,” Hoyt said. “My wife and I are going to stay in Manhattan forever, and I’ll be doing something different.”

Though it is still unclear as to who will become the new principal, Hoyt predicts that the district will announce their hire some time around winter break. He also believes that the school will adjust to having a new principal, though it may be difficult.

“I don’t know how different it will be, but it will be different because that person will just have a different view of the school, a different relationship with students, staff, and community,” Hoyt said. “The principal is not what the building is, or who the building is… but our student body is the same excellent student body that it’s been and the staff is, outside of new hires that we’ve got, is the same staff.”

Hoyt is confident in the teachers who remain at MHS and their ability to carry on the legacy of the school while becoming better acquainted with new leadership.

“I’m excited about the staff members that we have on board. They’re the ones that really have to carry out the mission of the school inspire the students to do their very best work,” Hoyt said. “I’m just hopeful and optimistic that the staff that we have is going to get that accomplished.”

While it’s always hard to leave a place that has been a part of someone’s life for so long, Hoyt believes that change is for the better and will continue to ensure a great school year for all.

“I’ve just enjoyed my time at Manhattan High… It’s a special place and it’s very important to me,” Hoyt said. “I just wish everybody nothing but the very best.”