Augusta Prep names Hatcher as Head of Middle School for 2025-2026 school year

"We are excited to have Courtney lead our Middle School after the exceptional job Monica Messner has done for the Prep community," Augusta Prep Head of School Eric Hedinger said. "Courtney brings a wealth of Middle School experience from her time at Heritage Academy. She has a student-centered focus and a strong vision for Prep’s Middle School and its identity."

Mrs. Hatcher, who is married and has three children (two Prep students),　earned her bachelor’s degree in Government at the University of Virginia. She then went on to earn a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership at Harvard University.

After seven years as a learning and development specialist in Human Resources at Morris Communications, Mrs. Hatcher dove into education full-time. In 2014, she founded Spark Academy, LLC, an educational enrichment company offering on-site STEM enrichment classes for children ages 3 to 13.

From 2017 to 2022, Mrs. Hatcher worked in a variety of roles at Heritage Academy in downtown Augusta. She taught Middle School science, became Middle School Director and eventually Assistant Principal of the upper grades. During her last year at Heritage, she worked in administration, building relationships with corporate givers and supporting Heritage alumni. Since October 2023, she has worked at Augusta Prep in admissions.

Augusta Prep is ranked as one of Niche.com’s "2025 "Best Schools" in Georgia and as the Augusta area's best K-12 private school with an A+ rating.