Dear Trinity Community,
With an abundance of emotion, I write to you to announce my plans to retire at the end of the 2023 - 2024 school year.
There’s both a distinct sadness that is accompanied by a genuine sense of anticipation that comes with the realization of retirement. By the end of academic year 2023 - 2024, still 18 months away, I’ll be at the end of a 43 year career in education with 23 years as a Head of School. The realization prompts profound and deep reflection; I’ve seen and experienced so much. At the same time, with my second grandchild born just this past December and another arriving in April, I crave the open water in my mind to savor my family, to spend time with my children and grandchildren and to turn my attention and curiosities towards the ones I love.
While there are conflicting emotions in such a personal and professional decision, there’s no question how exceedingly grateful I am for the Trinity community and all that I’ve learned from you. I cannot begin to describe how fortunate I feel to have my position in this community. The faculty is of the highest quality and I can say, without hesitation, the most collaborative and talented faculty in which I’ve ever worked. I wish every Head of School could work with such a dedicated and creative group of teachers and there wasn’t a single day when I didn’t feel the faculty always put students first.
I’ve learned so much here from the parents of the students. Being the Head of a School in Silicon Valley is like nowhere else in the world. I reveled in the stories from parents and grandparents, from all over the world, how they landed on Sand Hill Road, and how they all supported Trinity School. I found it beyond fascinating and I couldn't have been more curious. Thank you, all parents, for truly expanding my mind, bringing into focus things I had never thought about before, assuming good will, and supporting, in so many ways, the work with our students. I am improved because of you.
What I’ll miss the most, naturally, are the students. Being witness to teaching and learning, big and small moments, on the fields and in the classrooms, is such an immeasurable gift. I’ve often said we teach to the genius in each child. I couldn’t feel stronger about this and it’s not hyperbole: Every child at Trinity has a genius inside of them. It could be a writer, a mathematician, a social scientist, athlete, musician, writer, artist, linguist or a young thespian on stage. I can only hope I did my part, every second of every day, to recognize and nurture the genius in each child at Trinity, one at a time.
To be sure, I’m proud of where we are as a school. The school will attract great candidates for the next Head of School. The academic program is exemplary, the teachers are at the highest level of their professions, we’re in strong financial shape with our operating budget and significant cash reserves, our Board of Trustees has completed Trinity 2026 in our strategic planning process, and we just completed our accreditation process yesterday. Trinity couldn’t be better positioned to attract the next outstanding leader for this community.
We’ve got a lot of road ahead of us until June of 2024. I can tell you that I will work as hard as I ever have in making Trinity the best possible school it can be going forward. It will continue to be an honor and privilege to serve in this remarkable community of teaching and learning.
With deep gratitude,
Matt Allio
Head of School!"
