By: Tanvi Mittal — Editor-in-Chief

After Principal Olsen left his position as Interim Principal of Sharon High School, the school board interviewed several esteemed candidates, finally hiring Mr. Joe Scozzaro. Principal Scozzaro lives in Canton with his three children. He loves being outside, taking advantage of the good weather by jogging and biking with his family.

Scozzaro grew up in South Florida and went to the University of Florida. He then began teaching at a middle school as an English teacher. About a year and a half into the job, Principal Scozzaro began working at a summer camp in Switzerland which eventually led him to move to Italy to teach English. 

Three years later, Scozzaro moved to New York City teaching at The Academy of Environmental Science Secondary School, obtaining a Master’s degree during his time there. Then, Scozzaro moved to Massachusetts, teaching English for 10 years until becoming an assistant principal in 2013. While this is his first “go-around as a principal,” Scozzaro says that he “is learning the ropes everyday and it has been challenging, but also very rewarding.”

Scozzaro credits his career choice to his wonderful English teacher Bob Zeller who made a lasting impression. Scozzaro said that teaching English interested him because “you are reading great books, having discussions with teenagers and being a presence in their lives.”

Prior to joining Sharon High School, Scozzaro had worked in the Hockomock League and lived in Canton for several years, both of which allowed him to gain a familiarity with Sharon, eventually leading him to apply. Additionally, Scozzaro said that his neighbor is a faculty member at Sharon High School and has always spoken highly of its welcoming nature, diversity, and student population. 

Scozzaro said that his approach will be similar to that of a teacher who “takes on a couple of things and makes some changes each year to make their class and the experience better.” Adding on to that, he says that he will “take the long term approach and not pretend to be able to fix things right away because people are clamoring for it.” Instead he says his plan is to “be very deliberate and careful by considering the problem from a lot of different perspectives before offering solutions.”

Looking into the future, Scozzaro wants to focus on a peaceful transition into the new high school, preserve school strengths, and grow the school culture. 

Ms. Elizabeth Gavin served on the hiring committee for our principal and “was immediately impressed with his positive energy and direct clear communication style.” She adds that “he (Principal Scozzaro) truly wants to get to know everyone and have a positive impact on our school.  He has been inclusive and always seeks multiple perspectives on issues.”

Ms. Susan Sexton, who first met Scozzaro in June, agreed saying that his best qualities include “his positivity and his collaboration with the administrative team and SHS staff.”