- Principal Maria Jackson will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year after nearly four decades in education.
- Jackson’s time spent at Lynbrook started as an English teacher, eventually become a library media assistant, vice principal and finally Principal.
- Jackson’s leadership, especially through COVID-19 helped Lynbrook earn state and national awards leaving a lasting impact on the Lynbrook community.
After working in education for nearly four decades, Principal Maria Jackson will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Her dedication to the betterment of Lynbrook has ensured a bright future for the school, and her impact through education and leadership will be felt on campus for years to come.
Jackson started her career in teaching in 1986, where she first taught at Aptos High School in Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Calif. before transferring to other locations such as Los Angeles and later East San José. She became an English teacher at Lynbrook in 1994, also serving as the adviser to the Valhalla yearbook team for a year.
After teaching at Lynbrook for four years, Jackson took a maternity leave for her youngest daughter. She then came back in 1999 to take on the roles of library media teacher and librarian for a decade, assisting students in searching for information and resources before the prevalence of Google and fast computers.
“As a librarian, I always loved helping students find the things they’re looking for,” Jackson said. “We would sit and talk, working together and finding that perfect thing for them, which was really rewarding.”
In 2009, Jackson was promoted to assistant principal at Lynbrook and worked in this capacity until the end of the 2013-14 school year. Throughout this time, she was responsible for building the master schedule for teachers and students every year.
“I didn’t just see numbers and boxes when I built a schedule,” Jackson said. “I saw students and teachers. It was always about the people. I always felt really accomplished when I built a schedule so that as many kids as possible got all the classes they wanted.”
Before becoming the principal of Lynbrook in the middle of the 2015-16 school year, Jackson transferred from Lynbrook to Fremont High School to act as the assistant principal for a year and a half. Her transition was unexpected as she found out that she would be transitioning back near the end of Presidents’ Week break in February of that year. During her move back to Lynbrook, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges was about to begin evaluating the school for accreditation, a process which happens every six years. Accreditation signifies that an institution meets certain educational standards of quality.
During her time at Lynbrook, Jackson has regularly participated in school events such as Homecoming, rallies and class activities. Amid these highlights, however, she also navigated significant obstacles. For example, the limitations of COVID-19 led her to face unique challenges, such as working to ensure that students had a meaningful high school experience even while online. This work then continued as Lynbrook transitioned back to in-person learning.
“One of the things about Mrs. Jackson is that she’s not afraid to pitch in and do anything to help out,” FUHSD Superintendent Graham Clark said. “She’s not a person that would just tell other people to do something, rather she’s right there in the trenches with them.”
Jackson was always involved in student matters, so much so that she created Student Voice, a group where select students can share their opinions and suggestions on how to make the school a better place.
“The point of Student Voice is that students have an input on whatever they feel is being overlooked,” senior and Student Voice member Sanaa Lokray said. “We have people from different grade levels since Mrs. Jackson values getting equal input from everyone.”
Besides her impact working to better student wellness, she was also highly involved in advocating for the current campus renovations. Since renovations began in 2016, Jackson worked closely with construction workers to oversee big changes to major spaces like the office, quad and library. She also listened to students’ requests to advance plans for a formal robotics space, which Lynbrook previously lacked.
“Mrs. Jackson has worked so hard with the contractors,” Assistant Principal Eric Wong said. “The quad and new buildings are all being driven by her.”
As Lynbrook prepares for this transition, staff members have expressed their gratitude for her dedication; on March 21, she was recognized at the Fremont Union High School Foundation’s Spring for Education. Her commitment to upholding high educational standards allowed Lynbrook to be recognized on a state and national level, such as becoming a National Blue Ribbon School and a California Distinguished School again in 2024.
“Principal Jackson will always be a mentor to me,” Assistant Principal David Erwin said. “I will miss having her here every single day and being able to walk down to her office to ask for support.”
Though Jackson is stepping down from her role, her efforts of more than two decades will remain prominent, ensuring her lasting legacy in Lynbrook culture. Through her work in overseeing campus modernization and maintaining close ties with members of the community, Jackson has played a pivotal role in supporting the school.
“She always puts staff, students and parents first,” Erwin said. “Lynbrook has always been a huge love for her, though she’s had a life before Lynbrook and will have a life after Lynbrook. But I’ll miss her being there for everyone at all times.”
As she prepares for retirement, Jackson hopes to spend more time with her family, especially with her newborn granddaughter. She hopes to invest more in the people who have previously invested in her, diverting her focus from her role as principal to more personal commitments.
