"I think it's good for any institution to have change, particularly in terms of leadership," Didden said. "You need fresh ideas."
Mepham changed a great deal under Didden. When he arrived, only 54 percent of students graduated with Regents diplomas, but now 97 percent do. And the number of students taking Advanced Placement courses increased, too, with 75 percent of students scoring 3 or higher on an AP exam.
Arnold Goldstein, then the Central District's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said, "There was a time when Mepham was in third place without other high schools in the district, but now all three schools are comparable. John has made Mepham a school that focuses on academics and is competitive with any school in Nassau County. He will leave a great, lasting legacy."
