Claudia Nachtigal, MATS, CAEL

Head of School

Claudia T. Nachtigal was appointed Head of The Highlands School in October of 2022 after serving as the Assistant Head of School and Chief Operating Officer at a Virginia independent school. Nachtigal is passionate about The Highlands School’s mission of educating students with learning differences and achievement gaps and looks forward to helping students overcome their struggles to reach new levels of success. Her previous experience in teaching, parachurch, and church planting, counseling, mediation, business, and law makes her a well-established and proven organizational leader.

Originally from Greenville, SC, she grew up in Richmond, VA, and attended Virginia Commonwealth University for Vocal Music and Education. She also attended Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. Most recently, she earned a Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership from Harvard University. She has earned numerous prestigious awards including being named Teacher of the Year in Newport News Public Schools and earning a full scholarship to a short-term study program at the University of Oxford, UK.

Nachtigal is married and has two children ages 26 and 23.