The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) have named the 2025–26 National Principals of the Year. Damon Lewis of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in Norwalk, CT, is the Middle Level National Principal of the Year and Tony Cattani of Lenape High School in Medford, NJ, is the High School National Principal of the Year. From combating chronic absenteeism to creating a culture where staff learn from one another, both principals exemplify the best in educational leadership.
“These two outstanding principals demonstrate how visionary leadership can transform school communities,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. “Both Lewis and Cattani have created innovative approaches that directly address chronic challenges in education—from absenteeism to teacher collaboration—providing effective strategies that school leaders nationwide can implement to drive meaningful change for their students.”
About the NASSP National Principals of the Year
Damon Lewis, Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in 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.
Lewis 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; 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 in 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. A visionary leader, 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. Cattani 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.
The announcement came at a gala celebration in Seattle on July 9, kicking off UNITED – The National Conference on School Leadership. Held jointly with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, this conference brings together thousands of school leaders to learn from one another and from leaders across the education spectrum.
Research from the Wallace Foundation underscores the critical importance of these exemplary school leaders. Wallace’s landmark study, “How Principals Affect Students and Schools,” found that effective school leadership is second only to direct classroom instruction among school-based factors in raising student achievement, but with the added benefit of influencing every student in the school.
Principal impact is greatest in schools with high percentages of low-achieving students, high rates of poverty. and significant minority student populations. And, on average, students in schools with effective principals gain up to three months of additional learning each year.
For the NASSP Principal of the Year program, 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 select one middle level and one high school principal to represent their state or department. From those nominees, three middle level and three high school finalists are chosen.
The NASSP Middle Level National Principal of the Year and High School National Principal of the Year are selected from among the finalists. The award recognizes middle level and high school principals for their outstanding contributions to student success, school improvement, and educational leadership.
For more about the program, visit nassp.org/poy.
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