GREENFIELD — The school year hasn’t started yet, but new Principal Kristen Heath said she is already loving her role at Newton School.
Heath, who started earlier this summer, said that settling into the building, meeting staff members and preparing to welcome students for the first day of school on Sept. 2 has been “crazy, but good.”
“I’ve been learning everything about the school,” Heath said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s beautiful.”
Heath mentioned she loves the school’s architecture, which was built in 1915. She previously served as assistant principal and special education supervisor at the Wolf Swamp Road School in Longmeadow, and while she enjoyed her role and was in no rush to leave, she dreamed of becoming a building principal one day. When she saw the opening in Greenfield, she felt she had to apply.
“I loved it,” Heath said of the Wolf Swamp Road School. “But I wanted to be a building principal, and I just fell in love with it,” referencing Newton School.
Heath replaces interim Principal Carol Jacobs, who was tapped to lead the school during the district’s search for a new permanent principal following the resignation of Sadie Cora in 2024. The district received 13 applications for the position.
Heath started her career in education in 2005 at the William E. Norris School in Southampton. During her 16 years at the Norris School, she received the Grinspoon Award for excellence in teaching. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree from Lesley University.
Heath said she was first introduced to Greenfield as a student at Greenfield Community College, and she still has friends living in the city. She lives in Southampton with her husband and the youngest of her four children.
She said that she felt an “instant connection” with Newton School when she was interviewed and that, since she started, staff members have been very welcoming.
“It has a real tight-knit feel,” Heath said.
She said she does not want to come into the school and start immediately making changes; rather, her first priority is to learn about the school community. Heath distributed a survey to staff and families to ask what works well and what could be improved, and she plans to continue creating opportunities for them to weigh in on what’s needed at the school.
“I want to spend a lot of time listening because I know they’ve had some turnover here,” Heath said. “I do believe in shared leadership.”
Heath said she loves kids, but as a principal, she really wants to support teachers. Having been a fifth grade teacher for more than a decade, she said she understands the challenges they face and wants to support them so they have everything they need to do their jobs.
She added that another goal of hers this year will be to improve attendance. Heath said she does not believe in punishment-based approaches, but instead wants to look at barriers families can face in getting their children to school and help remove them.
According to data from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Newton School had a 91.2% attendance rate for the 2025-2026 school year, with students missing an average of 15.3 days. This is higher than the statewide average of 11.3 absences per student.
Heath said that overall, her hope is to be approachable and supportive to the Newton School community.
“I’m here to help,” Heath said. “That’s why I’m here.”
