Leaving a legacy

Principal Lori Manresa gets a hug from Jack Cotton in one of the classrooms at Hillcrest School in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Manresa, who will be retiring at the end of this school year, has worked at Hillcrest for 26 years. Hillcrest School is an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) school that provides valuable educational and training programs for students with a variety of significant disabilities in grades 6 – 12. She was chosen as the Marion County Public Schools Principal of the Year in 2016 and 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.

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Posted May 26, 2026 | By Susan Smiley-Height / Photos by Bruce Ackerman

In a county in which the public school system has more than 60 institutions, over 45,000 students and more than 2,000 teachers, there is one special place in Southeast Ocala that transcends expectations when it comes to education.

The Hillcrest School provides educational and training programs for students with significant disabilities from ages 11 to 22. It is a unique day school the Marion County School Board operates. The programs are primarily designed to serve students with moderate to profound cognitive disabilities or who exhibit autism spectrum disorders.

At the helm of the school for the past 15 years as principal is Lourdes “Lori” Manresa. She served as interim principal in 2008-09 and assistant principal from 2000 to 2008. Manresa, who has a total of 36 years in education, is retiring from Hillcrest School in July, with plans to spend more time with family members, including a 2-year-old grandchild.

And talk about leaving on a high note.

Last December, Manresa was named Principal of the Year and Hillcrest’s Stephanie Stephens was named Rookie Teacher of the Year. On Jan. 30, Zanita Hendry, the art teacher at Hillcrest, was named Marion County’s 2026 Teacher of the Year during the 36^th annual Golden Apple Gala at the Reilly Arts Center. School officials said the “Triple Crown” is believed to be the first time in the 157-year history Marion County Public Schools that three people at one school earned the top honors.

“What a year. You’d think there’s something in the water here,” Manresa said with a laugh during a recent interview in her office. “In 2016, I was Principal of the Year and then in my final year in Marion County Principal of the Year again. And to have the Teacher of the Year and the Rookie Teacher of the Year … when we were at the gala and they called out the Teacher of the Year, the explosion in the audience was just unbelievable; it was beautiful. What a celebration and what a way to go out,” Manresa said.

Fighting back tears, she continued, “My career has meant something. It has meant something to the people at the school, to the families we’ve served.”

“So many people in the community have sent me emails, cards and gifts, and it’s just been a beautiful outpouring of love,” she shared. “You know you work every day to do your best and then when this moment comes, I mean, I just read an email this morning from a parent whose son passed away this year, still thanking me. It touches your heart. A 9-to-5 job in the public sector doesn’t look the same as it does here, where it’s just so different and so heartwarming.”

GETTING THERE

Manresa was born in Chicago as a first generation American and moved to Florida when she was 12. She lived in Parkland prior to moving to Ocala. 

Manresa earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami. She earned her master’s degree in the area of emotionally handicapped education from Nova Southeastern University. While attending graduate school, she secured an instructional position with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, working with students who were severely emotionally disturbed and intellectually disabled. She later earned a degree in educational leadership. In 2000, she joined Marion County Public Schools as assistant principal at Hillcrest School.

The road getting there was a tad bumpy, but in a good way, she recalled.

“The principal at the time was Michael Burnett and he had done the first round of interviews. I came in on the second round of interviews, but he was on a ship to Alaska, so he believed he had selected his assistant principal and then the district met me and they said, ‘Change of plans,’” she shared.

“When he returned from his trip, there was a little bit of an adjustment period for not only him but the entire school. But I think that, quickly, everybody realized the district made the right decision because my background allowed me to showcase what I had learned over 10 years in Dade County on day one at Hillcrest. We were a fantastic team until he passed away,” she offered.

When Barnett died, former principal Steve Collings returned to the school and Manresa remained assistant principal.

“That’s exactly how it should’ve worked, because I needed somebody to show me what the expectations were in Marion County because I was still very new. I didn’t get to work with Mike very long until he got sick, so I got a chance to work with Steve, and he was truly the mentor I needed at the time,” Manresa said.

In a time when some specialized schools like Hillcrest may be in danger of closing, Manresa believes such institutions have a place in education.

“Many states believe in inclusion. Inclusion isn’t meant for every child, and our children were in inclusion at their base schools. They started there and then they went to self-contained classrooms on their campuses, and it still wasn’t successful, so I know the Legislature really wants all kids to be included and I understand that, but it’s not meant for every child. Our kids don’t fit the perfect mold and it’s okay. And that’s why some of our schools are still in existence and I’m so glad because our children thrive in this environment. They are with their peers,” she explained.

EVERY DAY IS A GIFT

Although she has relished her years at Hillcrest School, Manresa noted there have been some sad times, such as when a student passed away a couple of years ago.

“He was a very complex child, he had a lot of medical issues, but you would never think that he was going to pass so soon because he was strong,” she recalled. “But in this school, every day is a gift.”

“The things you’ll see hanging on the walls are generally in memorial of a child who has passed, a staff member who has passed. We have a memorial garden that has names of children who have passed. It is not uncommon that we lose a child every year due to medical complexities or accidents that occur. We lost one this year. It’s heart wrenching,” she said.

“We see these kids grow from the time they’re in sixth grade until they’re 22 years of age. That’s 11 years — they are our kids for 11 years and not many principles can say that. I believe there’s something in this school that is very special. It attracts very special people who are willing to do the hard work but do it from the heart. I say all the time I can teach you how to teach students, I can teach you curriculum, I can teach you policies and procedures, but I can’t teach you to love children. That has to come from you. So, we hire people who truly love children because the work is hard but if you can love kids, we can teach you to do the rest.”

WHEN THE ‘TIME COMES’

Manresa said making the decision to leave Hillcrest was not easy, but she knew it was time.

“I think everybody knows in their heart of hearts when a time comes,” she started to share, with her voice breaking and tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

“But all the stars have aligned,” she continued strongly, her voice rising an octave. “I have right in front of me right here the best person to take my seat, Cindy Lowe, and we have an assistant principal, Ashley Branson, who we have worked with for years. She started here as a teacher, she knows the students, she knows the language, she knows the parents. We’ve mentored her along the way.”

Lowe earned her bachelor’s degree from Nova Southeastern University and later a master’s degree in education leadership from National Louis University. She moved to Ocala in 1997 after graduating from college.

“I began my career in 1997 as part of a team at a local alternative school, where I eventually served as executive director. The school supported students with emotional and behavioral disabilities and while the work was challenging, my team and I were proud to provide a therapeutic day treatment program that made a meaningful difference in students’ lives,” she shared. “In 2015, I transitioned to Marion County Public Schools, first serving as a program manager in the Exceptional Student Education department. I later joined Maplewood Elementary School as assistant principal, where I helped support students with special needs. In 2020, I was honored to be invited to serve as assistant principal at Hillcrest School.”

When asked about her plans going forward, Lowe replied, “It’s pretty simple. I get to build on what Mrs. Manresa brilliantly put in place. I kind of kid that I just don’t have to mess it up. Our staff meet the needs of a very unique students, and I hope to see technology come, with maybe AI and how kids can communicate. I hope to see the next 10 years bring something amazing that maybe we haven’t seen yet and for us to be on the forefront of watching that happen for our students who have difficulty communicating, difficulty expressing themselves, difficulty accessing the world, and that we can be part of the solution of seeing our kids grow and thrive.”

As for her favorite part of being at Hillcrest, Lowe said the school “is truly the happiest place in education.”

“At Hillcrest, students are not asked to be anything other than themselves. Each student brings their own strengths, challenges and victories, and each one is celebrated. Whether learning new ways to communicate, building daily living skills, gaining confidence through work experiences or reaching a personal goal that once felt out of reach, our students remind us that progress looks different for everyone and that every step forward matters,” said Superintendent of Schools Danielle Brewer in an email message.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The annual nine-month Leadership Ocala program is designed to engage, develop and inspire emerging leaders in the community. Manresa said Hillcrest School is a yearly stop on the Leadership Ocala tour calendar.

“They get a glimpse and when they are leaving, they ask, ‘What can we do? How can we help?’ This is an incredible community that comes together for the sake of anybody who needs help and our children will need help their whole life and to have that support is just priceless,” Manresa said.

One of the school’s longtime supporters is Scott Mitchell, director of the Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center, which is a program of Marion County Public Schools.

“He has been a friend to Hillcrest for many years. He comes out and does a presentation and pep rally. He invites our school to go to Ocali Country Days and makes special accommodations for us to get there and has a nurse’s station set up for us. We are not a regular school where you just get on the bus, when our school goes on a trip it requires 18 buses because of wheelchair slots,” she noted. “He has come here if we can’t get there. Scott is one of those men who believes in our mission and what we do here and is proud to advocate for us and showcase what we do and is proud to have us. You know, many times people don’t see us. He sees us and I appreciate that.”

“The Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center has worked closely with Mrs. Manresa at Hillcrest for years to provide field trips for students. Most of the school attends Ocali Country Days each fall to learn about local history. Our staff also visit the school in the spring to bring special museum programs to the kids,” Mitchell wrote via email.

“To me, the students and staff at the school are always so welcoming. Hillcrest has such an upbeat feeling, and I believe much of that originates with Mrs. Manresa,” Mitchell continued. “I’ve never seen her without a smile and the dedication to her students is obvious to anyone who meets her.”

To learn more, go to hce.marionschools.net