The School District of Lancaster announced the school assignments for three new principals in the 2021-2022 school year. Mr. Heriberto Cordero will be the principal at Elizabeth R. Martin School, Mr. Luis Diaz will be the principal at Southeast Middle School and Mr. David Krakoff will be the principal at Buchanan Elementary School.
“We are confident the leadership of these new principals will reflect our mission for equity and student achievement,” Superintendent Dr. Damaris Rau said in an email to families at the three schools. “I hope you will join me in warmly welcoming them.”
Mr. Cordero has a wealth of experience as a school leader at the elementary and secondary level. He is currently principal at Fair Haven Pre-K through 8 school in Connecticut. This 900-student school is highly diverse, including 80% Hispanic, and prior to his arrival, ranked last among 30 K-8 schools in the district. During his tenure, the school’s performance index rose nearly 30% and surpassed 13 schools in ranking. Mr. Cordero oversaw major improvements in dual language programming and instructional technology and significantly reduced chronic absenteeism.
Mr. Diaz is currently interim co-principal of the McCaskey Campus. He has more than a decade of school leadership experience, serving previously as associate principal at McCaskey and coordinator of career and technical education in SDoL, as well as assistant director of the Delaware County Technical High School. Mr. Diaz was a technology education teacher for 10 years at then-Edward Hand Middle School, where he successfully guided students to state and national engineering competitions five years in a row, facilitated groups for at risk students and coached boys basketball.
Mr. Krakoff has more than a decade of school leadership experience. He is currently principal at Yearling Middle School in Okeechobee, FL. Mr. Krakoff is a specialist in restorative practices and oversaw a reduction in suspensions by 75 percent and an increase in attendance. His leadership has earned selection for a case study by the National Institute for School Leadership. He also supported the development of two Okeechobee County teachers of the year including Florida’s current state teacher of the year. He did this while serving as a mentor principal with Florida Atlantic University’s graduate educational leadership program.
Families and staff at these schools will have the opportunity to meet the new principals during a series of meet-and-greet events in May. Details will be communicated directly to school families.