William Svoboda has been promoted to the new position of president/principal of Trinity High School in Garfield Heights, effective in June.
The school’s board of trustees made the announcement on Feb. 8 in conjunction with the news that Sister Shawn Lee, Trinity’s president, and Principal Linda Bacho will retire in June. The retirements prompted the board to approve a change in the administrative structure of the school.
Svoboda, a 1981 Trinity graduate, will become the school’s third president since Marymount High School transitioned from an all-girls school to a co-ed campus in 1973. The school changed its name to Trinity at that time. Svoboda has been active in the school’s religious formation and athletic programs.
After graduating from Trinity, Svoboda earned a BBA and education degree from Cleveland State University. He returned to his alma mater in 1985. Svoboda earned a master’s degree in educational administration and a principal’s license from Ursuline College in 2007.
During his 37 years of service at Trinity, Svoboda has served in many roles, including teacher, head basketball coach, IT director, campus minister, assistant principal, chief financial officer and director of religious formation. The board said Svoboda was endorsed based on his wealth of experience and passion for Trinity High School.
“Bill has always had an incredible heart for his ministry, and his alma mater. His experience and skills connect well with our community, and our transformational Pre-Professional Internship Program, which hold future career success for our students,” said Board Chair Robert Kehoe.
“I am humbled to continue my servant leadership at Trinity as have the administrators that I have served with in my 37 years. Sister Catherine Britton, Dr. Thomas Maher, Mr. Joseph Waler, Ms. Carla Fritsch, Ms. Lynn Bacho, and Sister Shawn Lee have each shared their vast knowledge and wisdom with me over my years of service. I am dedicated to build on our mission of having students first and foremost find God’s love more fully in their Trinity High School experience,” Svoboda said. “Having our students college prepared and career ready when they leave our halls has always been a priority, as well. The educational landscape is always changing, and my vision is to keep Trinity thriving spiritually, college and career ready, athletically and on the cutting edge of education moving forward.”
Sister Shawn Lee, a 1962 graduate of Marymount High School, is beloved at Trinity, where she served as a teacher, and ultimately, as president of her alma mater for more than a quarter century. She was instrumental in the inception of Trinity’s unique internship program, and the creation and growth of the school’s biggest benefit, Out of the Blue. She is a graduate of Ursuline College and earned her master’s degree in religion and personal development from Duquesne University.
“It is difficult for me to take the step of retiring, but I know it is the right move both for me and for Trinity,” said Sister Shawn. “I see wonderful growth on the horizon and I am confident that we have chosen the right person to lead us into the future.”
Bacho is a 1973 graduate of Marymount High School, the final graduating class of Marymount before the transition to Trinity. After graduating from Kent State University, she returned to her alma mater in 1980. Bacho earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from John Carroll University in 1986. She also earned a second master’s degree in educational administration and principal’s license in 2007 from Ursuline College.
Bacho and has served in a variety of roles in her over four decades of service a most recently, principal since 2010. Under her direction, more than 95% of Trinity graduates have gone on to higher education.
“Trinity has been my second home for more than 40 years,” Bacho said. “We have seen this campus transform itself throughout the years to stay in the forefront of education success, always preparing our young men and women to become critical thinkers and servant leaders beyond their time at Trinity. I have been very proud to have served the Trinity community for the past 42 years, and I have no doubt the new administrative team will continue to promote our Franciscan values that have made Trinity the caring and compassionate community we all know and love.”
Both Sister Shawn and Bacho will remain as active members of Trinity’s board of trustees.
Svoboda also announced the addition of Mary Sorozak, a math teacher, and Francine Wisinski, guidance counselor, to his administrative team.