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Leadership Team

Meet our Principal and Assistant Principal
Heidi Haggerty Wagner
Principal 

Heidi Haggerty Wagner is the principal of Alexandria City Public Schools Early Childhood Center. She has worked in many diverse roles in education including 6 years as a principal of a PK-Grade 5 Title I elementary school in NE Washington, DC and 20 years in Arlington Virginia Public Schools in a variety of roles including special education, curriculum, and instruction, and special projects leadership. She created and led collaborative systems within central offices and schools to eliminate silos and promote the design and implementation of Tier I, II, and III English Language Arts instruction from K- 8th Grade. Ms. Haggerty Wagner is a nationally certified leader for SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) and embraces equity-focused school leadership that attempts to uncover the interconnected ways in which marginalization takes place, in order to help achieve racial equity within schools, the division, and our community.

Ms. Haggerty Wagner has earned a BA in Psychology and an M.ED in Special Education: Curriculum and Instruction and an M.ED in Educational Leadership. She has taught as an adjunct professor for George Mason University including creating a new course, "Teaching Reading to Struggling Readers." Currently, Ms. Haggerty Wagner is nearing completion of a Harvard University Certificate in Early Learning Leadership (December 2020).

Ms. Haggerty Wagner shares a multigenerational home with her father and teenage daughter, and their much loved dog, Blue. She's grateful for the joyful opportunity to lead the Early Childhood Center!

Phone: 703-578-6822

Email: heidi.haggerty.wagner@acps.k12.va.us

 

Damian M. Johnson
Assistant Principal 

The assisstant principal assists the principal in leading ECC’s instructional program, ensuring its alignment with division regulations for curriculum design and assessment. He will also provide and promote a state-of-the-art curriculum and superior instructional delivery for the success of all students.

Johnson joined ACPS in 2014, first serving students at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology as a teacher in grades four and five before transitioning to John Adams Elementary School (John Adams) to serve as a dual-language educator, where he was named teacher of the year in 2018. Johnson has held many leadership opportunities in ACPS, including Title I coordinator, lead teacher, summer school assistant principal, after school tutoring coordinator, EduTutor liaison and, most recently, instructional coach at John Adams. 

Johnson also served as an elementary teacher for Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia and at the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls in Albany, New York, and Yates Arts- in-Education Magnet School in Schenectady, New York.

Johnson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Education for grades one through six at The State University of New York at Potsdam, with a minor in biology and acting. He earned a Master of Science in Literacy Education Birth-Grade six at The College of St. Rose in Upstate, New York, and a master’s in educational leadership from George Mason University. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in leadership and organizational innovation from Marymount University.

Johnson also holds an endorsement in administration and supervision, English Learner (EL) endorsement and a certificate in teaching literacy, birth to grade six.

Cultivating and fostering a culture of collaboration within the learning community and for all stakeholders is his priority. At ECC, Johnson looks forward to continuing his commitment to closing the achievement gap in education.