Longtime Hancock Place Educator Becomes Principal in Maplewood

A familiar name in the Hancock Place School District hallways was recently named the principal of a nearby school district. 

Michael Dittrich, who worked for Hancock Place as an assistant principal at the elementary school for 10 years, was named principal of Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School. 

Dittrich, 37 was named the Missouri Outstanding Principal and a National Outstanding Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in 2012 while at Hancock. He said the recognition opened up new opportunities for him, and the only one he pursued was to become assistant principal at MRH Middle. 

“Knowing what my values were in education, with expeditionary learning, and technology - it’s a natural fit,” he said. “I wasn’t looking to move, but an opportunity to join a community like this and a school like this is pretty hard to pass up.”

Before becoming assistant principal at Hancock Place Elementary School, Dittrich worked as a teacher in the sixth and third grades. And he still has strong roots in the district: his wife, Jennifer Dittrich, teaches at Hancock Place Middle School; his father, Tom Dittrich, served on the school board for 20 years; and his brother, Tom Dittrich Jr., is the assistant principal and athletic director at Hancock Place High School. 

Read more about Michael Dittrich's transition to Maplewood Richmond Heights on Maplewood-Brentwood Patch. 

For more news in and around Lemay, please see the following articles:

• Hancock Place Senior Signs Letter of Intent
• How Did Notre Dame High Celebrate Christmas in April?
• Heine Meine Field Debuts New Look