By the time Kristin Janssen describes her first six months at Maggie Walker, it’s clear this hasn’t been a quiet transition period.

“It has been full in the best way,” she said. “Energizing, humbling and really affirming.”

Since stepping into the role of executive director over the summer, Janssen has spent her days listening closely, learning long-standing traditions and building relationships across campus – with students, faculty, families, alumni and partner school divisions. And while Maggie Walker’s academic reputation is nationally recognized, Janssen says what has struck her most goes far beyond test scores or college acceptances.

“What stands out to me most is not just the academics,” she said. “It is the pride people carry, the relationships that shape students, and the way this school truly stays with people long after they leave.”

That sense of belonging is something Janssen knew well even before taking the helm, because she first experienced Maggie Walker as the parent of a 2023 graduate. “I saw the pressure, the pride, the late nights, the friendship and the growth – but stepping into this role has changed my understanding in a deeper way.”

Now, Janssen sees the work behind the scenes: the planning, the systems and the countless daily decisions made with students in mind. “That has made me appreciate just how rare this place truly is,” she said. “It feels like a gift to families, and I carry that responsibility with me in every decision I make.”

Listening first and hearing a shared purpose

In these early months, Janssen intentionally focused on listening. She knew the school had a solid foundation, and her vision is to find opportunities to enhance what already makes it stand out. What she heard from key groups was remarkably aligned:

  • From students: “I heard how much they want to be pushed – but also how much they want to feel supported as whole people. They are carrying a lot, and they are honest about that.”
  • From faculty and staff, who consistently express deep care for the school and for their work: “They want clarity, consistency and to feel supported in return.”
  • From parents, who voiced pride in the community and a desire to be true partners. “They want to trust the process and know their children are being cared for.”

“What stands out to me most is that everyone is coming from the same place,” Janssen added. “They want Maggie Walker to continue to be a place where students can be their very best versions of themselves.”

Early momentum and a shared direction

Among the initial successes has been strategic planning, as the team has worked to build on the legacy of the former administrator, Robert Lowerre, and those before him, and the foundation they created. That has been a collective effort that matters to students.

“It shows them that the adults around them are reflective, intentional and thinking carefully about the future,” she said. “It helps protect what differentiates Maggie Walker, while also preparing for what comes next.”

That forward momentum extends beyond the downtown campus, as Janssen deepens relationships with the school’s member jurisdictions and board partners. The focus has shifted into sustainability. “We have true partners in this work,” she said. “We are not doing this alone.”

Life inside the building

On any given day, Janssen can be found moving from classrooms to meetings to hallway conversations – but her favorite moments often happen first thing in the morning. “If I can make it to bus duty, it is a good day,” she said. “That is often where I get some of my best moments with students.”

Coming to Maggie Walker after years serving in school administration in Colonial Heights and Buckingham County brought her back to the rhythm of being in a school building – the energy, the unpredictability, the constant problem-solving. She’s found the environment deeply fulfilling.

“The students are always at the center of it,” she said. “That never gets old.”

That is why Janssen finds the mission and support of the Foundation so critical. “We are staying really focused on students and on the day-to-day experience they are having here. That means strengthening supports, getting clearer about how we communicate, and continuing the strategic planning work as a team,” she said, noting that the Foundation is a true partner in that work.

“It helps us say yes to things that would otherwise be out of reach. Whether that is enrichment opportunities, student programming or new ideas that grow out of what our students and teachers are dreaming up, the Foundation helps turn those ideas into real experiences for kids,” she added. “It is so important. We could not function without the Foundation and our PTSA.”

A community that lasts a lifetime

That sense of connection was on full display throughout her first semester, through activities like the PTSA-organized Fall Festival that kicks off Reunions Weekend each year.

“It started out as nothing that morning, and by noon the horseshoe had been completely transformed,” Janssen said. “It was joyful and welcoming – such a good reminder of what happens when people just step in and support kids.”

She sees that same enduring bond at Foundation events, where alumni and alumni parents from decades apart gather in the same space. She recalls getting touched by looking at name tags at this year’s Foundation Director’s Circle Reception and seeing the different graduation years represented from across the past three decades. “Seeing alums and alum parents come back, seeing donors reconnect – it reminds you how lasting this place really is.”

At a recent Honor Council event, she sat with a very accomplished alumna who shared that her proudest accomplishment was her Maggie Walker diploma. “That stayed with me,” Janssen said. “This is not just a school people attend. It is a place people carry with them for life.”

Quiet moments that say the most

But what has been the defining moment that confirmed to Janssen that she was in the right place? While those big events and milestones are important, she points to something different.

“For me, it has really been in the quiet moments,” she said. “A student stopping to ask if I am feeling better. A staff member sending a quick text just to check on me. A parent pausing in the hallway to see how the day is going.”

Those moments are the ones that linger.

“They remind me what this work is really about – people and relationships,” Janssen said. “In those moments, I am reminded again and again that I am exactly where I am meant to be.”