The news of now former Mystery Lake superintendent Beverly Hammond's resignation on Jan 18 has not yet garnered the kind of outward reaction from R.D. Parker Collegiate students as the firing of former principal Ryan Land, though quiet murmurs are circulating amongst the student body.

The name Bev Hammond doesn't seem to ring a bell with many R.D. Parker students, but bring up the name Ryan Land, and Hammond's involvement with his termination as principal and reactions are evoked nearly immediately.

One unnamed Grade 10 student, when asked about his thoughts on Hammond's resignation replied with, “I don't even know who that is, I don't think that really effects me,” but when Land's name and his history with Hammond is mentioned, the same student replied with, “oh, her, yea I'm glad she's gone.”

There are some glimmers of hope among students that Hammond's resignation could open the door for Land to return to the school as principal, though there has never been mention of it.

Grade 11 student Tyler Graham thinks there's a possibility and is hopeful for Land to return, “he might come back, but I don't know,” said Graham, “everyone is saying he has a better job now, but it would be cool if he came back, he was a really good principal.”

The outpouring of support and protest from students last year in reaction to Land's firing, lends to the consensus that most students view Hammond as the enemy.

“Nobody really liked her (Hammond) I think,” said Graham, “so it's pretty good that she's gone now.”

Hammond resigned after just 16 months as superintendent and less than a year after Land's termination.

Grade 10 R.D. Parker student Jonathan, who withheld his last name, says he finds Hammond's resignation suspicious.

“It's kind of weird don't you think, that he would get fired and then all of a sudden she quits?” said Jonathan, “it makes her look really guilty.”

Some students, including Grade 10 pupil Connie Saric needed to be briefed on the situation as the school had not informed students of the news of Hammond's resignation.

“There wasn't any announcement or anything like that,” said Saric, “my teachers didn't say anything about it.”

The School District of Mystery Lake has come to be known as a revolving door of sorts and turnover rates are a major concern.

“It's kind of sad that she left,” said Saric, “I mean it's good because (Ryan) Land was the best, but principals and stuff are just dropping all the time.”

The division has had three superintendents and eight assistant superintendents in the past four years. R.D. Parker Collegiate has had three principals and nine vice principals in that time, as well as two acting principals after Land was fired.

Student reaction at present seems to be happiness for the sake of Ryan Land, as well as a sense of closure; however, some students are still in the dark on the issue.

When asked for their thoughts, the response, “I have no idea,” was not an uncommon one among students.

Students, who were in the know on the issue, did for the most part echo the results of the Thompson Citizen's online poll question of whether Hammond's resignation was a good or bad thing. The poll had gathered more than 300 votes as of Jan 23 with a staggering 87 per cent answering that it is a good thing.