Meet Meadow Davis, Athenian’s New Upper School Head

In August of 2021, the Athenian student body entered the school year with a new Assistant Head and Head of Upper School: Meadow Davis. As an incredibly important and well-known faculty position, the Head of Upper School role entails a wide variety of responsibilities and expectations, some of which are less prominent than others.

“I spend a lot of time thinking about the experience of students on our campus, as well as that of the adults who support them in their learning,” Meadow said. “I work closely with faculty, and with students, to understand what is working and what we need to think about shifting and changing to better meet the needs of our community. In addition to my work with the Upper School, I also get to work with Lauren Railey, Head of the Middle School, to ensure a positive and connected experience from sixth through twelfth grade.”

Even before her time at Athenian, Meadow was drawn to school administration and similar types of work, largely due to her desire to help people live rich lives.  

“I got my master’s in nonprofit management and was working with nonprofits. Then, for 15 years, I worked at Bowdoin [College] with college students, where I was in charge of student culture,” Meadow said. “The work I do now is primarily driven by how I can ensure students live happy, healthy, and meaningful lives in high school, college, and beyond.”

However, there is a reason Meadow now works at Athenian rather than at another high school that could have fulfilled her inclination to improve the social and academic lives of younger students. Namely, she is drawn to the pillars of Round Square and other similar principles that are ingrained in Athenian’s foundation.

“When I looked at the Round Square pillars—those were all pieces that I value in my own life. The idea that I could be part of a school that was really thinking about not only academics, but also how to think in a holistic way, was really interesting to me,” Meadow said. “Personally, I have two children who go here, so I also wanted a school where they would be engaged and excited; I wanted an adventure. California felt like a different world.” 

Still at the very beginning of her career at Athenian, Meadow has much time to experience and appreciate Athenian student culture. She’s looking forward to observing and cultivating Athenian’s democratic processes—from town meetings to the Pillars.

“I’m so excited by the student voice at Athenian,” Meadow said. “I’ve been working with the Town Meeting Officers… and learning how to help students identify the change they want to make and help them get the skills to make those changes.”

On a more personal level, Meadow cites her outside hobbies as a way she works to bring joy to her own life.  

“I love hiking. My husband and I hiked a big part of the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Virginia,” Meadow said. “I love to read—mostly fiction. And, of course, I love spending time with my family.”

In fact, Meadow describes this familial connection as one of the most important and formative components of her life. Motherhood has brought her a new outlook on the world, as well as granting her the ability to deeply understand the students she is working with, many of whom are the same age as her children.

“A really important thing in my life is the fact that I am a mom,” Meadow said. “Raising two young people and working with the same age as the kids I am raising is a really interesting thing to do.”

All of these facets of Meadow’s life have shaped her into the multidimensional individual that she is. While the exact future of The Athenian School is unclear, one thing remains certain: students now have a caring and approachable Head of Upper School to turn to in times of need.