For the last 27 years, Janet Keirstead has been a constant presence through the building renovations and the graduations for thousands of students. Having spent almost half her life within these walls, English teacher and Curriculum Coordinator is preparing to trade her classroom for the front office, by starting a new job as the Assistant Principal of Blanchard Middle School.
During her career at Westford Academy, Keirstead originally walked through the doors as a student teacher, which then shifted to a brief one year teaching job at Sullivan Middle School in Lowell. She returned to WA shortly after and since then has immersed herself in every corner of the school’s environment.
From teaching ninth grade English to 12th grade Advanced Placement (AP) Literature, Keirstead has been the 6-12 English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator for the last 13 years. However, her involvement extended far past academics. She spent years on the field as a varsity softball coach, advised the Ghostwriter student newspaper, and the “Games with Charity” club. Additionally, she also served on the district and high school Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion teams, as well as the faculty council.
“She [Keirstead] shows up to so many events that take place here at WA from sports to arts and everything in between,” AP literature teacher Kim Hart said. “She’s really just a fantastic member of this community.”
For Keirstead, WA has been more than a workplace, it has been the backdrop of her life and a place where she has made a lot of memories.
“I was present in the building during 9/11 and I have seen generations of families pass through these doors,” Keirstead said. “But one of the best memories was being at Mr and Mrs Kucaj’s wedding and watching their relationship develop. Their wedding really reminds me of how much time I spent here and how close I got with my colleagues.”
According to Keirstead, having worked as a Curriculum Coordinator, she enjoyed the challenge of mentoring new teachers and working across three different buildings. She will be joining former WA social studies coordinator Adam Ingano who is now the principal at Blanchard, and stepping in for assistant principal Patti Demins after her retirement.
“With my new job at Blanchard, I can return back to working with student life and I am especially excited for middle school energy,” Keirstead said. “Working with that age group can be exhausting but it is also a sweet spot where students are learning how to be people.”
According to Keirstead, the transition will bring a significant shift in her daily responsibilities. While her previous role focused on the classroom setting, her position at Blanchard will focus on day-to-day operations, student scheduling, and student discipline.
“I will lose the teaching component, which I still haven’t fully come to terms with because I am going to be in the office instead of a physical classroom,” Keirstead said. ” I have also talked to the ELA teachers and said hey you need this, I’m happy to come in and teach anytime you want, I will co-teach with you.”
The department that Keirstead leaves behind faces a significant transition of its own, as she says goodbye to colleagues that she formed close relationships with.
“Ms. Keirstead has been here almost as long as I have, and she’s been an inspiration,” freshman English teacher Christopher Bramanti said. “She’s been a tremendous leader and has been a person who has helped cultivate and shape this department and while I’m very happy for her, I’m going to be very sad that she’s not here. It’s a good move for her and it’s going to impact our department greatly.”
For Keirstead, stepping into a new administrative role brings a mix of anticipation because she is going to be managing the logistics of a different building and navigating a new schedule.
“I am definitely very excited to be starting a new position but I am also a tiny bit nervous because it is a new school that is different from WA,” Keirstead said. “I’ve spent almost half my life here [at WA] so it is going to be a change for me.”
According to Keirstead, she plans to take a measured, observational approach rather than implementing immediate, widespread changes.
“My initial goal is to work closely with Mr. Ingano and the faculty to understand the building’s needs from the inside out,” Keirstead said. “I want to focus on sustaining and building school morale and fostering strong interpersonal relationships which I believe is the core of a successful school environment.”
While closing a 27-year chapter at WA brings a sense of finality, by moving to a middle school level, she takes her experience in classroom instruction and applies it to the foundational years of Westford students.
“Mrs. Keirstead inspires me through her passion for her students and really for the entire WA community,” Hart said. “She shows us regularly through the thoughtful way she listens to people and communicates with them.”
