John Capozzi
Principal
Elmont Memorial High School
Sewanhaka CHSD
John Capozzi is the embodiment of educational leadership. Anyone wanting evidence of this fact needn't look any further than the level of student performance during his eight-year tenure of Elmont Memorial High School. EMHS is a national model of academic excellence, lauded by the Education Trust in 2006, The Schott Foundation in 2007 and U.S. News and World Report in 2008. In 2009, the Magellan Foundation recognized Elmont Memorial as a "benchmark school" for its high academic achievement.
Under Capozzi's leadership, the high school has been the subject of several prominent professional articles, written by distinguished experts including New York University's Dr. Pedro Noguera and Karin Chenowith of the Education Trust. The articles focused on the school as a model of success in educating minority students. EMHS currently boasts a 96 percent graduation rate, with 96 percent of graduates going on to college.
Capozzi was one of only five educators invited to speak before the United States Senate about the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. He has also presented at several national education conferences including The Education Trust and Wisconsin IDEA.
He has earned numerous awards including Sewanhaka Teacher of the Year in 1999 and WLNY-TV Educator of the Week in 2000. He was twice honored for his educational leadership skills by St. John's University -- as Outstanding Principal in 2009 and as Outstanding Administrator in 2010.
"John Capozzi's leadership has inspired and motivated EMHS to success," wrote his Education Partner Award nominator. "But it is the ordinary, everyday acts that set John apart. He finds the best in every child. He has high expectations for all students and he demands the best from each of his teachers."
Before earning the office of principal, Capozzi faithfully served EMHS as a social studies teacher, head coach for varsity and lacrosse, dean of students, and assistant principal. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from SUNY Oneonta and a master's degree in secondary education from Long Island University.
