The Windsor Unified School District (WUSD) is pleased to announce that Heather Kristensen will be the new principal for North Bay Met Academy (NBMA) for the 2023-24 school year.
Kristensen has been teaching Social Sciences and English in Sonoma County for thirteen years, and is a founding staff member of North Bay Met Academy, where she has served as an Advisor and English teacher for the past six years. She has her Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership.
This will be her first administrative position, but her long history with NBMA makes her feel ready for the challenge.
“As an original staff member of NBMA, I am uniquely situated to continue the work started by our founding principal, Susan Nystrom, and our whole staff,” Kristensen said. “I am excited to continue working with Big Picture Learning and provide vision and leadership grounded in experience.”
“Heather knows these programs like the back of her hand and has relationships with existing staff,” said WUSD’s Human Resources Director Pete Sullivan. “She also understands the vision the District has for NBMA’s future and is eager to help bring that vision to life. She is the right person, at the right time.”
Kristensen knows what she wants to bring to the table as she steps into her new role. “I plan to be a clear communicator who is kind and leads with love,” she said. “I will keep North Bay Met Academy at the forefront of educational reform and grow our Big Picture Learning program in Windsor. I will begin by focusing on a few of the BPL distinguishers: school culture, authentic assessment, and building parent and family engagement.”
When she is not at school, Kristensen spends time with her family, and enjoys hiking, camping, and going to baseball games. She is an avid reader of historical fiction, and also enjoys bird watching and pollinator-friendly gardening.
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