About Us

Head of School Elect

In March, the Augusta Prep Board of Trustees unanimously selected Eric Hedinger as the next Head of School at Augusta Preparatory Day School effective July 1, 2024. Mr. Hedinger comes to us from Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C., where he has served as Head of the Upper School since 2012.
 
Mr. Hedinger earned a B.A. in English from Frostburg State University and an M.Ed. in English and Secondary Education from Winthrop University. He began his teaching career as an English teacher and soccer coach at Providence Day School in 1996. He was appointed Assistant Upper School Head in 2008 and then elevated to Head of Upper School in 2012. During his tenure in that role, the enrollment in the upper school grew from 450 to over 700 while maintaining excellence in both academic and extra-curricular programs. Eric has considerable experience managing a large upper school faculty and a significant budget, and he has served on the Board of Trustees Finance and Risk Committees at PDS. A recognized leader in education, Mr. Hedinger is a frequent member of the SAIS Accreditation of Schools Team, having served in this capacity at least five times. He played soccer most of his life and has coached at both the high school and collegiate levels. In his spare time, Eric enjoys hiking, camping, and white-water rafting. 

Mr. Hedinger is married to Maria, an experienced educator and a current TK teacher at PDS. Eric and Maria have two children, a daughter, Emma, who is a sophomore at UNC, and a son Liam who is a senior in high school.        

Mr. Hedinger’s depth of experience in education, fiscal management, recruiting, hiring, and retaining faculty, professional development, coaching, and leadership make him an ideal fit for Augusta Prep and the right person to lead the school forward at this time. In addition, Eric recognizes the current momentum at Prep and the growth opportunities that exist, including those created by the new W. Roger Giles Institute for Inquiry which played a large role in drawing him to this position:

“The Giles Institute excites me because I have seen first-hand how new leading spaces shift a culture, community, and mindset in such positive ways. The students and faculty will transform ideas for tomorrow in this new learning space.”  

Eric and Maria were impressed by what they saw and experienced at Augusta Prep during their visit and are excited to become a part of the Cavalier family. Upon learning the news of his selection, Eric shared:

“We are excited to join such a caring and family-centered community. We found immediate connections to the APDS faculty, students, and leadership team as well as the families we met. My family and I look forward to making our home at Augusta Preparatory Day School!”
    • Eric Hedinger

Augusta Preparatory Day School is an independent, college preparatory school serving children ages 2 through Grade 12 from the greater Augusta-Aiken area. Augusta Prep seeks to enroll a group of diverse students. We follow an open admission policy, whereby qualified candidates are admitted without regard to religion, race, nationality, economic background, or ethnic origin.