By Donald Gilpin

Trixie Sabundayo, English teacher, department chair, and a senior administrator at Marin Academy (MA) in San Rafael, Calif., for the past 13 years, will be taking charge as upper school head at Princeton Day School (PDS), effective July 1.

“I believe that good leadership is about building trusting partnerships and being a clear, transparent communicator,” she said. “Both of these have been the backbone of my philosophy as an educator, and have served me well as a teacher and leader.”

At MA, a 9-12, coeducational day school of 410 students, Sabundayo, according to last week’s PDS announcement, is “an accomplished classroom teacher,” who “has designed and implemented a host of interdisciplinary course initiatives in English and history” in addition to taking on a wide variety of roles in the larger school community.

She has served as diversity council chair, dean of equity and inclusion, sophomore class dean, and as faculty representative on the MA board of trustees. She co-directs MA’s annual literary festival and has led or worked with a number of school affinity groups, including Women in Support and Empowerment (WISE), Folks, and Mixed Ethnicity.

Her courses have included Sophomore English, Junior English, Creative Non-Fiction, Power and Resistance, The 20th Century Novel, Reading and Writing the Short Story, and American Dreams and Realities.

Sabundayo said of her upcoming transition to the upper school leadership position at PDS, “Over my years at MA, I have been fortunate enough to take on many different leadership roles and effect change across different programs and constituencies. To understand and grow all aspects of school life are what I love to do, so it felt only natural to want to be a division head.”

Emphasizing the values and visions that she shares with PDS, she noted, “There are many exemplary schools and exceptional leaders out there, but finding the right match between a school and leader is what makes schools flourish and thrive.”

When asked about the appeal of the Princeton area, Sabundayo described her introduction to PDS. “My new job is, in all honesty, the most exciting thing. I fell in love with PDS the moment I met the search committee, before even stepping foot on campus. And once I did walk the halls, I knew I wanted to join the PDS community.”

Referring to her 7-year-old and 20-month-old children, she added, “And the thought of having Teaghan and Quinnie go to school with me is beyond thrilling.”

A Baltimore native, Sabundayo attended Bryn Mawr School, then matriculated at Johns Hopkins, originally preparing for a career in medicine before eventually graduating with degrees in English and women’s studies. At Johns Hopkins she played varsity field hockey, captaining the team in her junior year, and varsity lacrosse, also serving as team captain. She was elected to the All-Centennial Conference First Team, and named a First Team All-American by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.

Sabundayo received her master’s degree in English from the Bread Loaf School at Middlebury College in 2002, then taught at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans and Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles
before her tenure at MA.

In her hypothetical free time, which she experiences seldom these days and is anticipating less of next year, Sabundayo envisions gardening, hiking, painting, and yoga. “If I were to have lots of free time, I would certainly be outside, either gardening or hiking. If I had loads of time, I would start painting regularly again. Oil painting is my medium. And if I had loads and loads of time, I would continue my yoga teacher training in anatomy.” She earned her Sivananda yoga teaching certificate in Kerala, India and was trained as an Anusara teacher in Berkeley.

More realistically, she said, she loves spending time with her young children and her husband, Josh Frechette.

PDS Head of School Paul Stellato expressed his enthusiasm for the new upper school head. “Through her work both inside and outside of the classroom, she has proven herself to be an exceptional educator and leader,” he said. “She will no doubt bring a wealth of experience and energy with her when she arrives. I look forward to beginning our work together this summer when she arrives in Princeton with her family.”

In making his announcement of the new upper school head, Stellato also reflected on the tenure of Jason Robinson, assistant head of school for academic life and current upper school head, who will leave PDS in June to take over as head of school at St. Alban’s School in Washington, D.C.

“There is no area of life in the upper school that has not been enhanced and strengthened through his vision and vigor,” said Stellato, “nor is there a student or faculty member who has not benefitted from his wisdom and counsel.”