Mr. Markal Lincoln has worked in elementary and secondary education for the last 20 years. As an equity-driven leader who believes that every student can achieve, he spent the bulk of his educational career working for the Los Angeles Unified School District in South Los Angeles. He worked as a teacher and Instructional Coach for Mathematics. Mr. Lincoln recently relocated to San Diego and taught in the Oceanside Unified School District, where he worked in secondary education.
Mr. Lincoln is passionate about students and their success. This passion led to Mr. Lincoln being recognized as Teacher of the year in the Oceanside Unified School District at Stuart Mesa for the 2019-2020 school year. Additionally, in 2017, Mr. Lincoln was named one of LAUSD's Heroes in Education. He also received recognition from "The Show Me" Campaign presented by John Legend, and was also recognized as one of the Top 100 highest performing elementary teachers in LAUSD in 2010. He also received the City of Los Angeles Teacher Recognition Award in 2003 and the ECCLA/University of Southern California Teacher Recognition Award in 2003.
Mr. Lincoln received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a minor in Black Studies from California State University Long Beach in 1997, and a Master's Degree in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Long Beach in 1999, and his teaching credential from California State Dominguez Hills in 2001.
Mr. Lincoln believes in high expectations for students, and that students will stretch, jump, and leap to reach academic success when the bar is set high. He believes that education is the great change agent and that a world-class education can transform and change students' lives. His motto is, "Students don't care what you know until they know you care." Therefore he is an advocate for restorative discipline and Social-Emotional Learning. Mr. Lincoln believes, "When students feel good about themselves, and where they are, they are equipped to learn." The key to success is that it does not matter where you start; what matters is your tenacity, determination, grit, and the ability to get up when life knocks you down, and you tell yourself, "I will not lose!"
During his free time, Mr. Lincoln enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, cruising, and listening to audiobooks.