The National Association of Secondary School Principals just named two middle and high school leaders the 2025-26 National Principals of the Year, who both share one thing in common: their ability to transform their communities.
According to a news release from the NASSP, the two leaders were chosen following a nationwide search based on nominations from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools and the Department of Defense Education Activity.
“These two outstanding principals demonstrate how visionary leadership can transform school communities,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. Read about the two leaders below.
Damon Lewis, Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, Norwalk, CT
Under Lewis’ leadership, Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, a 6–8 middle school, reduced chronic absenteeism from 31% to 8% in one year. His school has increased the number of minority students in the gifted and talented program, and the number of female students in accelerated math.
He has championed an equity-driven and “Every Day Counts” culture where PSAT scores for grade eight students outpaced national, state and district metrics. He is the facilitator for the Black Male Administrator cohort in the district, and he mentors younger principals.
He has expanded course offerings to include coding, computer science, robotics, music technology and immersive media. He has also added more than 20 after-school clubs, a Hispanic parent group, an in-school food pantry for families and a care closet.
Tony Cattani, Lenape High School, Medford, NJ
Cattani has been the principal of Lenape High School for 18 years. He is recognized for his role in developing a positive and inclusive school culture, where students and staff feel valued and supported.
he has championed professional collaboration, encouraging teachers to grow by learning from their most powerful resource—each other—through more than 3,000 peer observations and collegiality cafes. He models peer observation by sharing best practices with colleagues at New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association conferences.
Known as a tireless advocate for students, he consistently places their well-being and academic and personal growth at the forefront of every initiative. His dedication and impact have set a lasting standard for leadership within the Lenape community and beyond. He is also an executive council member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
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