John Perella takes the helm as Gloucester High School’s new principal

Gloucester High School welcomes a new leader this fall as Dr. John Perella steps into his role as principal. With over a decade of experience in education and a strong, welcoming personality, Dr. Perella’s arrival marks an exciting new chapter for Gloucester High. 

Perella, who began his career as a teacher, said his move into school leadership came from a desire to expand his influence among both students and the school as a whole. 

“Professionally, I thought I could make a bigger impact as an administrator,” Perella said. “I could make changes that I wouldn’t be able to do in the classroom.” 

As he begins his first year, Perella plans to take advantage of this opportunity by emphasizing the importance of building relationships. This will occur before he begins making any major changes. 

“I believe that I can’t really make any differences or make any big changes until people can trust me,” Perella said. “So I guess this year would be about getting to know people, having people get to know me, and really understanding what people want.” 

Looking ahead, Perella has a vision of making education at Gloucester High more flexible and responsive to students’ needs. 

“I want to loosen up the education system,” Perella said. “Schools are very rigid, and students come in with all kinds of needs and interests. I want to be able to provide that.” 

One idea he shared was creating more opportunities for seniors to engage in work studies and community partnerships. In particular, he pointed to Gloucester’s UMass Marine Lab as a resource for science projects and internships. 

“When you’re a senior, you shouldn’t feel like it’s the same as being a freshman,” Perella said. “You should have privileges, and you should be able to leave the building and engage in external learning opportunities.” 

Underlying all of these goals, Perella stressed that a strong school culture is non-negotiable. 

“The most important thing that we can do is have a positive school culture and a healthy school environment,” Perella said. “If people don’t feel comfortable and safe and connected, they’re not going to learn.” 

As the 2025-2026 school year kicks off, the Gloucester High community can look forward to what promises to be a year of growth, collaboration, and renewed school spirit under Dr. Perella’s guidance. 

“Gloucester was just a combination of the right size, the right location, and just the right environment for me,” Perella said. “I feel really fortunate – I feel like I was given a great opportunity here and I hope to make the best of it.”