School Leader Biographies

It has been Shendrina E. Walker’s pleasure to serve as the Paul Public Charter School Middle School principal since 2016. This is her fifth year in educational leadership at Paul, but Ms. Walker has a long history of guiding teachers and coaching instructional staff. Prior to becoming principal at Paul PCS Middle School, she has had many leadership experiences including Dean of Students at Brookland Middle School, District of Columbia Public School English Language Arts Lead Teacher and Flamboyan Family Engagement Teacher Lead. Even with her amazing experiences, Ms. Walker will always be a teacher at heart, joyfully instructing staff and faculty in new ways they can innovate the classroom and student experience. Ms. Walker’s educational background includes New Leaders: Aspiring Principal Program, New Leaders: Emerging Leader as well as a BA in Theater from the George Washington University, MA in Educational Theater from New York University and completion of the Trinity University Graduate School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program in Secondary English. By pursuing lifelong learning, her intent is to be an example to greater Washington, DC community that we should never stop learning.

Ms. Walker enjoys working with the many talented teachers and students at Paul PCS Middle.  By doing so, each individual student and teacher can experience growth to their highest potential together. She looks forward to interacting with all scholars and their supportive adults in the Paul PCS MS community this year.

Mr. Brad E. Irvin has entered his ninth year in education, a third of which have transpired at Paul Public Charter School Middle School and Paul International High School in School Leadership positions. Graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi College of Arts and Letters, he began his teaching career at KIPP DC: LEAP Academy through the Capital Teaching Residency in Washington, DC in early elementary education. During this time, he also received his graduate degree in Political Science from his previous Alma Mater, and then his Early Childhood Education Regular II License through the District’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education. After graduating in 2013, he continued in the classroom at District of Columbia Public School: Kimball Elementary and DC Prep: Anacostia Education Campus. These years were very formative in his growth as an inspiring, hands-on, culturally-inclusive educator as it provided a solid foundation of quality instruction across subject matter and curriculum, as well as outstanding community partnership opportunities. Through 2016 and 2019, he became Assistant Principal of Kimball Elementary, then Vice Principal at IDEA Public Charter School.

As former Assistant Principal of Paul PCS Middle, then through the Founding Lower Academy Director role at Paul International High School, he has created a supportive climate and culture that is conducive to teaching and learning, sustainable leadership, and coaches 9th and 10th grade stakeholders to get “1% better everyday.”

As a research scientist, S. Lannette Bacchus earned her baccalaureate in Biology from Bennett College and had pharmacy school in mind. She earned a master’s degree in Biology from Alcorn State University, then traveled to India to do research on ayurvedic treatment for diabetes. However, when a research position in Washington, DC fell through, she began her teaching career at Maya Angelou Public Charter School, an alternative school network of at-risk and court-involved students. Ms. Bacchus thought it would be temporary, instead, that was the end of lab life. As an educator, her work in the urban community was rewarding, she was shaping the future and I never looked back. After completing a principal training program and an MSA in Educational Administration, Ms. Bacchus moved into leadership. She turned around three low-performing schools, restructured a charter high school, created an early college partnership with University of DC, and developed a program at the Academy of Construction and Design.

Ms. Bacchus has served at Paul PCS previously as Head of School, and joins the Paul community again as the Founding Upper Academy Director of Paul International High School. When speaking of her invaluable work that have touched the lives of thousands of students over the course of more than 20 years, she values the art of self-discipline and pushes Scholars to never shortcuts.