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Princeton Day School Announces LISA SURACE As Interim Head of Lower School

Princeton Day School is pleased to announce that Lisa Surace will be the Interim Head of the Lower School. As Head of School Paul J. Stellato made the announcement to faculty and staff yesterday, he commented, “Princeton Day School is fortunate to have in its midst an educator of Lisa’s stature.  I know you will join me in welcoming her as she continues and expands her efforts on behalf of our children, our families, and our school.”

Ms. Surace is a graduate of Princeton University, and received her master’s and doctoral degrees from New York University. She completed her studies in an APA-certified program in school/child psychology, and wrote her dissertation on The Student/Teacher Relationship as a Predictor of School Performance. From 1996-2002, Ms. Surace was an adjunct professor at Baruch College, Western Connecticut State University, and Fairfield University, teaching undergraduates in the areas of social psychology and clinical child neuropsychology.  After completing a six-month rotation in pediatric services at the Rusk Center for Rehabilitation Medicine in New York, Lisa spent four years as a K-5 school psychologist in the Westport, Connecticut, school system.

In 2002, Ms. Surace joined the psychology staff of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio.  In 2003, she played a similar role for the Madeira school system; and, from 2005 until her arrival in Princeton five years later, she served as Director of Student Services for the Madeira schools, coordinating and directing, among other things, student evaluation and placement; faculty hiring, evaluation, and assessment; and school system’s integration and compliance with state and federal education programs.  

Ms. Surace began her role as a learning specialist at Princeton Day School eight months ago, serving as the learning specialist for grades Pre-K to12, as well as the primary counselor in the lower school. In her new role, she will continue her work as learning specialist in grades Pre-K to 4, in collaboration with the lower school learning resource center.  More specifically, she will assist in the coordination and management of students with educational evaluations. 

Mr. Stellato noted, “at each turn, and with every new responsibility, Lisa has distinguished herself as an advocate and ally of students and families.”

Ms. Surace is married to Robert Surace, the Charles W. Caldwell ’25 Head Coach of Football at Princeton University, and they have two children who attend Princeton Day School.

Princeton Day School is an independent, coeducational school educating students from
Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 12.