We are incredibly proud to share that Mr. Rob Cancellieri, Principal of the Dawe Elementary School in Stoughton, has been named the 2025 Massachusetts School Administrators' Association (MSAA) Elementary School Principal of the Year! Mr. Cancellieri has been the Dawe School Principal for eight years.
"I have been a Superintendent of Schools for 16 years and Rob Cancellieri is one of the best principals I have come across. From instructional leadership and management to family, community, and school culture, the Dawe Elementary School is a great place to learn and grow," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Baeta said.
"Rob is innovative, collaborative, adaptive, and understands how to create a school culture and climate," Dr. Baeta continued. "By empowering educators and students, Rob has created a sense of pride within the school and the Dawe community. This comes from the three V’s of leadership - visibility with students, visibility with staff, and visibility with his school community. It is here where Rob makes a true difference for all involved. By being visible, Rob creates a culture of understanding even when there are difficult days."
"I'm still speechless. To be named Massachusetts Elementary Principal of the Year is an incredible honor, and it's all thanks to the amazing students, the dedicated staff, and the supportive families that make the Dawe such a special place," Mr. Cancellieri said. "Every day, I'm inspired by the hard work and resilience of our children, the passion of our teachers, and the unwavering support of our community. This award isn't just for me; it's a testament to the collective spirit of Stoughton. I'm so proud to represent our town, and I'm deeply grateful for this recognition. I truly believe that together, we're making a difference, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for our incredible school community.”
This is Mr. Cancellieri's 14th year working for SPS, teaching fifth grade at the Gibbons Elementary School before he became Principal at the Dawe. Mr. Cancellieri is also a product of the Stoughton Public Schools, having attended the Hansen Elementary School and O'Donnell Middle School before graduating from Stoughton High School in 2004.
Congratulations Mr. Cancellieri!
To read more about this honor, see the news release from the MSAA below:
Robert Cancellieri Named MSAA Elementary School Principal of the Year
Dawe Elementary School (Stoughton) Principal Earns MSAA 2025 Honor
Mr. Robert C. Cancellieri, Principal of Joseph R. Dawe, Jr. Elementary School in Stoughton, has been named the 2025 MSAA Elementary School Principal of the Year. He has served at Dawe Elementary School for the past 8 years.
Robert earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (Commonwealth Honors College), a Master of Education in Elementary Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Administration from UMass Boston. While teaching at J.H. Gibbons Elementary School, Robert was recognized as Teacher of the Year. During his time at Dawe Elementary School, he was an Honor Roll recipient of the National LifeChanger of the Year Award.
Prior to his current role as Principal, Robert was a fifth-grade teacher at J.H. Gibbons Elementary School in Stoughton for six years. In his final year there, he also served as Assistant Principal. Additionally, he was the Director of Camp West Woods in Stoughton, developed and led the 5th-to-6th Grade STEM Summer Program in Stoughton Public Schools, and, since becoming Principal at Dawe Elementary School, has spearheaded numerous initiatives to support the special education population, celebrate the diversity of his school community, and enhance professional development for his staff. He has even incorporated fun into fundraising activities - he camped on the front lawn of his school, put his office on the roof of the building, got pied in the face, and even kissed a pig!
Robert grew up in Stoughton and attended Stoughton Public Schools from kindergarten through his graduation from Stoughton High School in 2004. Since then, he has remained an active community member, coaching Stoughton Little League Baseball, Stoughton Youth Soccer, YMCA Basketball, and Stoughton Youth Flag Football. He takes great pride in his community and firmly believes that Stoughton Public Schools provide a fantastic environment for students to learn and thrive.
Robert and his family live in Stoughton, where both of his children attend Stoughton Public Schools. His wife, Vanessa, also a lifelong Stoughton resident and Stoughton High School graduate, is a special education teacher at an elementary school in Stoughton.