$25K Milken Educator Award

John Melandro ’17 earns ‘Oscar of Teaching’ for innovative instructional practices.

SJNY Long Island alumnus John Melandro ’17, a third- and fifth-grade teacher at Tangier Smith Elementary School in Mastic Beach, received the Milken Educator Award, a prestigious national honor that recognizes exceptional educators for their dedication to excellence in education.

The award includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize to Mr. Melandro, who earned a B.A. in Child Study from SJNY in 2017.

Hailed as the “Oscar of Teaching,” the award was presented this past fall to Mr. Melandro during an assembly at his school by Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley, Ph.D., and Eastern Suffolk BOCES District Superintendent Jasmin Varela, Ed.D.

Part of a family of educators, Mr. Melandro is known at Tangier Smith Elementary School as the “Magic Man” for turning everyday subjects into exciting adventures by engaging students with innovative approaches.

Mr. Melandro’s teaching methods emphasize building fundamental skills in critical thinking and problem-solving; students trust him as a supportive guide who offers constructive feedback while closely monitoring their progress.

Future-focused, he partners with the district’s Career and Technical Education program to provide students with real-life learning experiences from guest speakers who work in the fields of barbering, cosmetology and the culinary arts.

Mr. Melandro’s methods have translated into consistently high student performance and growth. He also helped implement a new Character Education program in the school as a committee member, and created online learning opportunities as a New York state assessment prep resource for his colleagues.

Mr. Melandro serves as a teacher mentor and is active in PTO and BOE meetings, contributing to greater parental and community engagement in students’ educational journeys.

“I want to thank everyone that’s been a part of helping me get here because it’s certainly been quite a journey, and so many of you have been a part of that,” he said at the award presentation.

The Milken Educator Awards honor top educators across the country. Honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles, where they network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders.