When Wareham High School opened its doors after summer break, a familiar face was missing.

Henry St. Julien arrived in Wareham 22 years ago as a brand new teacher, not knowing anything about the town he and his family would soon embrace.

“When I came here I became a student of the community. I said to my principal at the time, ‘I want to teach here, I want to live here, I want to worship here and I want to serve here,’” he said. “I’ve done exactly that.”

And so, with a heavy heart, St. Julien bid farewell to fellow teachers and his students in early August after accepting an assistant principal position in Falmouth.

From inspiring students to go on to prestigious universities such as Harvard, to expanding their horizons through the school’s Global Education Team, St. Julien left his mark in Wareham and many are sad to see him go.

St. Julien noted he wasn’t unhappy in Wareham. However, the new position provided an opportunity to advance his career.

“I closed one chapter, and it’s been a great story, and now I’m opening a new chapter,” he said. “I love the community, I love the students, that’s not going to change.”

St. Julien said the outpouring of support from well-wishers caught him off guard, but for anyone who knows him, it was no surprise.

“He’s a great person and a great role model for our students. He would do anything to benefit the kids,” said Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino. “He will be missed. Everyone knows his heart and soul is here in Wareham.”

Palladino said St. Julien worked his way up to become Dean of Students, which is a position that includes teaching duties as well as administrative tasks.

“We had been grooming him to be an administrator and he obviously did a great job,” said Palladino.

St. Julien, a Marlborough native, landed his first teaching gig at Wareham High School in 1994. While at the school he’s taught social studies, advanced placement economics, and was instrumental in the development of the Global Education Team.

He joined the Global Education Team in 2005, which was the first year a group of Cape Verdean students traveled to Wareham.

“That was the start of the program and seeing kids from town interact with kids from Cape Verde was so powerful, it motivated me to do more,” he said. “It’s our mission to get students thinking globally to prepare themselves.”

Not one to hop from job to job, St. Julien’s interview with Falmouth was only the second of his educational career.

By staying in one place, he said he’s built long-lasting relationships with students and teachers. As an advanced placement instructor, he’s seen former students go on to earn Ph.D.s in the field, become professors and attend Ivy League schools. On his Facebook page, where he announced his leaving, many former students left messages saying St. Julien’s class was the one that set them on their career path.

St. Julien studied history at Framingham State College and graduated with a degree in economics. He went on to work in the business world, but found it didn’t suit him. Taking some advice from his mother - who said he had the right temperament to teach - he went back to school for his teaching certificate.

He initially looked at a position at Old Rochester, but after visiting Wareham knew it was the town for him.

“Wareham has a fantastic diversity and I said, ‘I’d love to be a part of that,’” he said.

In addition to his school work, St. Julien is active at Wareham’s Church in the Pines where he worships with his family that include, his wife Wendy, son Zachary and daughter Madison.

Both of his children are Wareham High School graduates.

St. Julien said his home will remain in Wareham and he has no plans to move.

He expressed thanks to everyone who wished him well. “As sad as I am that I’m leaving I’m excited to start on a new path,” he said.