The School District of Lancaster is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. D’Andrea Heggs as the permanent principal of Price Elementary School and Ms. Yaliza Morales as the permanent principal of Hamilton Elementary School. Both educators bring extensive experience and a strong commitment to student success.
Dr. D’Andrea Heggs – Price Elementary School Dr. Heggs, currently an assistant principal at Traice Academy Middle and High School in Tulsa Public Schools, will officially begin her tenure at Price Elementary on June 6. Until then, interim principal Theresa Kirchner will continue leading the school, and the district extends its gratitude for her service.
Dr. Heggs has a distinguished career in education, having taught English Language Arts in both public and private schools in New Jersey and Tennessee. She has also held leadership positions in North Carolina as a teacher leader and school administrator. Additionally, she served as co-director of the River City Partnership, a University of Memphis-affiliated program that trains first-year teachers. Dr. Heggs earned her doctorate in education, leadership, and policy studies from the University of Memphis.
“Dr. Heggs brings a strong instructional focus, data-driven decision-making skills, and diverse leadership experience,” said Superintendent Dr. Keith Miles. “We are confident that she will make a positive impact at Price Elementary.”
Ms. Yaliza Morales – Hamilton Elementary School Ms. Morales, who has been serving as the interim principal at Hamilton Elementary, has been named the school’s permanent principal. The selection committee was inspired by her enthusiasm and commitment to building relationships within the school community.
Before stepping into this leadership position, Ms. Morales participated in the principal residency program at SDoL, gaining hands-on administrative experience at McCaskey High School and Hamilton Elementary. She also taught English Language Arts at the middle and high school levels and coached cheerleading. Ms. Morales completed master’s-level coursework at Millersville University as part of the residency program.
“Ms. Morales’ deep understanding of the Hamilton community and her dedication to instructional excellence make her an outstanding choice for principal,” said Dr. Miles. “We look forward to seeing her continued leadership at Hamilton Elementary.”
The appointments of Dr. Heggs and Ms. Morales were presented to the school board for approval on February 18. The School District of Lancaster congratulates both leaders on their new roles and looks forward to their positive contributions to student achievement.