Maritza Hernandez, Philadelphia elementary school principal, dies at 44

Maritza Hernandez, 44, of Philadelphia, the principal at Julia De Burgos Elementary School, died Wednesday, Jan. 13, of kidney cancer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Quiet, unassuming, yet fiercely dedicated to educating students in and around her childhood neighborhood of Fairhill, Ms. Hernandez excelled at her work while also battling cancer for years. Her goal, said her daughter, Dejah Lloyd, was to show students that they, like her, could make a difference in the world no matter the obstacles.

“She wanted to teach people, especially her students, to strive and achieve and never give up,” Lloyd said. “She was always doing something for the kids.”

Born on May 26, 1976, Ms. Hernandez was drawn to education from the start. Even as a student at Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational/Technical School in the 1990s, she focused on her studies and helped others when they struggled. “Her book bag was so full it always weighed 20 pounds,” Lloyd said.

After high school, Ms. Hernandez was married and divorced twice, and dived into college life at Bloomsburg, Holy Family, Temple, and Edinboro Universities. She earned a master’s degree in education from Holy Family, and a master’s in educational leadership and administration, and principal certification, at Edinboro.

She began teaching Spanish in 2007 at Maritime Academy Charter High School and moved on to elementary education at Antonia Pantoja Charter School in 2008. She became dean of students and vice principal at Memphis Street Academy in 2012, and then principal at Julia De Burgos in 2014.

“She was very dignified, very private,” said Dr. Robin Cooper, a longtime principal and administrator for the School District of Philadelphia and the current president of Teamsters Local 502 of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators. “She was well respected, did her job, and loved her family.”

In a greeting to visitors on the Julia De Burgos website, Ms. Hernandez described her goal as to “exceed expectations while empowering scholars to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens.”

She worried how neighborhood violence affected her students and tried to empower them to avoid it and fight against it. She was part of a neighborhood peace march in 2014 after her school was locked down several times due to nearby violence.

“We wanted to show them that they have a voice in their neighborhood, and in their future,” Ms. Hernandez told Inquirer and Daily News columnist Helen Ubinas before that march.

Ms. Hernandez loved warm weather, and “was happiest when she was on a beach, visiting family in Florida, or visiting family in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico,” her family wrote in a tribute. She enjoyed dancing and singing. Friends and family recalled her “feisty, spicy nature,” and coworkers noted her “energy and passion” for her students.

One parent wrote in a tribute that Ms. Hernandez helped her children through difficult times. “It’s not too many principals out here that would do what you did for your students,” she said.

“She was always in that [school] building,” Lloyd said. “At 7 a.m. At 8 p.m. Whether it was an awards ceremony or planning student of the month awards, she was dedicated to her students and teachers. She said you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.”

Cooper said few people at school knew of Ms. Hernandez’s illness. She had been working remotely due to pandemic restrictions but had continued to fully participate in school life until only recently.

“People are still in shock,” Cooper said. “She never complained. You would never know she was ill. When others were worried about her, she was worried about the community and her students.”

In addition to her daughter, Ms. Hernandez is survived by her mother, Naida Miranda Hernandez, daughter Jeyda Staton, partner Jerome “Ty” Lassiter, two brothers, and other relatives.

A viewing was held Jan. 16. Services and interment were private.