Every new school year introduces many changes: getting used to classes, making new friends, and adapting to the workload that comes with moving up a grade. With multiple personal changes happening it’s easy to overlook schoolwide changes such as a new teacher, or in the case of this year, a new vice principal.
Dr. JoAnn Kilpatrick’s childhood dream was to become a Supreme Court justice. Shortly after she finished her undergraduate degree she moved to Washington D.C. with earning a law degree in her sights. After working in a law firm for 6 months she decided to shift her focus to becoming an educator to work directly with students.
Her mom was every child’s dream elementary school teacher in the ways that she kept her classroom engaging and creative. Kids could take part in their class newspaper, writing and editing articles to eventually be “published.” Drawing inspiration from her mom, Dr. Kilpatrick started down the road of education.
Dr. Kilpatrick attended the University of Vermont for English and Theatre and graduated in 1992. Later, she attended Simmons College to receive her Masters in Secondary Education. From there she went on to become an English teacher and eventually an English Department head. Finally, she attended Boston University to receive her Doctorate in Education where she traveled to South America and Europe working on a study of rural and urban schools. “It was challenging,” she said while talking about visiting different countries and having little knowledge of the language and culture. Through this, she persevered and finished her Doctorate degree in 2010.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of traveling the world for Dr. Kilpatrick was the interactions she got to experience. Her favorite part about being a principal, and educator in general, are the interactions with the students. She is driven by the connections she makes around her and coming to Nashoba greatly improved her ability to connect and interact with the student body. Dr. Kilpatrick had previously worked in other schools in Massachusetts including Newton North High School which, in comparison to Nashoba, is huge. Coming to a school with over 1,000 fewer students enables deeper and more meaningful relationships with the people around her.
In High School, there are many people going through all sorts of different stages of their lives. Dr. Kilpatrick understands this and when asked what her favorite part of the school year is, she said the beginning and the end of the year, but for different reasons. She explained that she loves interacting with Freshmen at the beginning of their high school experiences as well as interacting with Seniors as they’re nearing the end of their High School experience. In both scenarios, those groups require assistance and guidance but in completely different ways, and that variety of interaction is what Dr. Kilpatrick enjoys the most about her job.
Outside of school, Dr. Kilpatrick enjoys biking, weightlifting, traveling, and yoga. If you see her around the school, chances are she’ll have her motivational water bottle with her always staying hydrated. When asked what three things she would need to have if she were stranded on an island her answers were water, her son Quinn, and a basketball. Why? Well, the water part is self-explanatory, and of course, she would need to bring her son with her because he’s a big part of her life. Finally, you’re going to get bored on a deserted island, and since Quinn loves playing soccer and basketball, bringing a basketball would be the best form of entertainment.
Altogether, Dr. Kilpatrick has everything a great principal needs, she’s invested, she loves to interact with people around her, and overall she’s a great person. Next time you see her in the halls or at lunch make sure to take the time to say “hi” and get to know her a little bit. It’s worth every second.
