DANIEL MUCATEL

Daniel Mucatel was the Principal at PS 115 from 1995 until his tragic death on May 29, 1999. While jogging near his home he suffered a heart attack and died.

Danny, as was popularly known, spent nearly 45 years as a student, teacher or administrator at District 18 schools. He spent 25 years on the staff at Somers Junior High School 252 until being named Interim Acting Principal at PS 219 in 1993. He was appointed Principal of PS 115 in 1995.

He was an extremely visible presence throughout the PS 115 school building and was well liked by students, parents and staff alike. His core belief was that “all children can achieve and all adults in the school can make a difference in the lives of children”. It was a phrase he lived by every time he walked into the school and could most be seen through his “Principal’s Book Run” which he did each May along with other members of the staff. It was a jog around the school’s block, lined with students, where he would jog a lap for every 100,000 pages that students read.

PS 115 was named after him in a moving ceremony held on October 28, 1999 attended by his family and numerous friends.