Our Principal

Principal Michelle Haynes

Michelle K. Haynes is a lifelong educator with 27 years of experience as a teacher and administrator.
 

Michelle began her career at Sisulu-Walker Charter School of Harlem in its founding year as a teaching assistant. She subsequently spent 8 years as a classroom teacher teaching every grade from kindergarten to fifth grade. Michelle returned to the Sisulu-Walker Jamii (community) during the 2011-2012 academic year to take the helm as the Principal.

Throughout her career, Michelle has also served as a Staff Developer, Instructional Coach and Director of Curriculum and Development.
 

As an Instructional Specialist for Victory Education Partners, Michelle provided academic support to eight charter schools through the state of New York and helped develop the academic components of charters for several schools. In addition, Michelle helped write the charter for the high-performing Academic Leadership Charter School in the South Bronx and served as the Director of Curriculum and Development at Hempstead’s first charter school The Academy (also high performing) as a founding member of the administrative team. Michelle served on the Board of Trustees for Reading 4 Smiles, a nonprofit program that provides reading tutoring for children.
 

She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of South Shore Charter School, which will serve citizens on Long Island. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Herbert H. Lehman College and Master of Science degrees in General Education and Special Education from Touro College.
 

Michelle lives in Harlem, New York.