Lessons from Local Leaders:

Dr. Frank + Dr. Jenn

The School That Was Never the Plan: How Dr. Frank Munroe and Dr. Jenn Kruzynski Built Phoenix Nova Around the Kids Who Needed Them Most

Dr. Frank Munroe and Dr. Jenn Kruzynski didn’t set out to start a school — it all began with a chance meeting on a bridge in Kansas City, a shared love of theater and working with kids, and a conversation that just kept going. When a school where they were running theater classes shut down unexpectedly, the families of those students reached out with nowhere else to turn, and Frank and Jenn did what felt right: they rented three offices, pooled their resources, and opened Phoenix Nova School in three weeks over winter break with eight kids and a whole lot of faith.

Today, Phoenix Nova is a thriving K – 8 adaptive inclusive school in Northern Virginia where neurotypical students and students with disabilities learn side by side, therapists work directly alongside teachers, and the guiding philosophy is simple — presume competence, give every child the chance to show what they can do, and they will.

The school has tripled in size in just one year, and the families who find it tend to describe it the same way: finally, a place where my child belongs.

Beyond the classroom, Jenn has developed the Adaptive Friends Curriculum — a series of ten children’s books designed to teach empathy, inclusion, and friendship to kids everywhere — and the school’s annual Spell-a-thon fundraiser, featuring Frank’s villainous alter ego Dr. Spellerman and a whole lot of excitement, keeps growing every year.

If you have a child who hasn’t found their place yet, or you’re just looking for a school that truly sees kids for who they are, Phoenix Nova is worth checking out.

Dr. Frank Munroe and Dr. Jenn Kruzynski are the co-founders and directors of Phoenix Nova School, an adaptive inclusive K–8 school in Northern Virginia. To enroll, donate, sponsor a student in the Spell-a-thon, or access the Adaptive Friends Curriculum, visit phoenixnovaschool.com.

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