Following a 32-year career in education, including 18 years spent at the Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District, Enders Road Elementary School principal Dr. Debbie Capri has announced that she will retire in June.
“Debbie dedicated herself to the children of Enders Road Elementary by promoting trust, enhancing communication, and deepening connections with the children and their families,“ stated Superintendent of Schools Dr. Craig Tice. “By absorbing herself in her role, Debbie’s student-centered approach has fostered an exceptional school community and has created a collaborative environment that will continue into the future beyond her retirement.”
After graduating from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Speech Communications and a minor in economics, Capri began her career as a school counselor with the New Hartford Central School District and later went on to become an Assistant Principal Intern for the Madison-Oneida BOCES, serving schools in both the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (Sherrill City) and Stockbridge Valley school districts.
Capri continued her education at Teachers College Columbia University, where she received dual Masters Degrees in Counseling and Psychology, before being awarded her Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Educational Leadership at SUNY Cortland, where she fulfilled the requirements for certification as a School District Administrator. Dr. Capri defended her dissertation, “High-stakes Accountability and Inclusion: The Impact of Policy Sense-making and Identity Construction on Co-teaching,” in 2015 and graduated from Syracuse University as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 2016.
In 2007, Capri joined the F-M school community upon the completion of her administrative internship. During her time with F-M, Capri has led Enders Road Elementary to many incredible accomplishments, including two National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards in 2014 and 2023. This prestigious designation indicates that the school was nominated by the New York State Education Department as an Exemplary High Performing School, meaning it’s among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments and/or nationally normed tests. Enders Road Elementary was one of 353 schools nationwide to receive the recognition in 2023.
“Working with the incredible Enders staff, the dedicated parents/guardians and the unbelievably amazing students has been the greatest honor of my career,” said Capri. “I will always hold my Enders memories and connections in a special place in my heart. I look forward to sharing even more valuable experiences with our Enders community this year!”
Capri’s last day with the district will be June 30, 2025. The district will conduct a search for a new building principal and expects to fill the position at Enders Road Elementary School before the start of the 2025-26 school year.