Sujan Talukdar

About Sujan Talukdar

Dr. Sujan \"Suzie\" Talukdar is the principal of Underwood School in Newton Public Schools, bringing over 25 years of experience in K-16 education. She is deeply committed to creating a joyful and inclusive school community where every student feels a genuine sense of belonging and is encouraged to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Her leadership focuses on building meaningful relationships to dismantle systemic barriers rooted in racism, replacing them with equitable practices that uplift and empower students, staff, and families alike. Her unwavering passion for anti-racism, inclusion and belonging, and educational equity has been a consistent theme throughout her career. She prioritizes high-quality, culturally responsive instructional practices to ensure that students reach rigorous academic standards.Dr. Talukdar’s influence extends beyond Underwood School. She co-leads a course on the Psychology of Racism for aspiring principals at William James College and serves as an instructor with the ACCEPT Education Collaborative\'s Educator Leadership Institute (ELI). Additionally, she has taught Family and Community Engagement in the Master of Education program at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College.Previously, Dr. Talukdar proudly served as the K-12 Director of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) Program as well as the K-8 Principal at the Michael Driscoll School in the Public Schools of Brookline. Her career began as a middle school social studies teacher at F.A. Day Middle School in Newton, followed by her role as the Director of the Intercultural Center at Brandeis University. She also spent nearly two decades as an instructor and consultant for Initiatives for Developing Equity & Achievement for Students (IDEAS), a leading provider of anti-bias and anti-racist programs for PK-12 schools.In addition to her professional experiences and achievements, Dr. Talukdar finds her most fulfilling role to be that of a mother to her amazing 16-year-old son, guiding his growth and development with love and dedication. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Boston University, and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Boston College.

Experience

1. School Principal

   Underwood Elementary School

   Jul 2020 — Present · Newton, MA, US

Education

• Boston University

  MAT, Social Studies Education

• Brandeis University

  BA, Sociology

• Harvard Graduate School of Education

  Certificate, Race, Equity, and Leadership

  2017 — 2017

• Boston College

  Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Administration