Minnie Howard Campus - Alexandria City High School (2024)

Executive Principal
alexander.duncan@acps.k12.va.us

Areas of Supervision

• Alexandria City High School: Minnie Howard Campus. King Street Campus, Satellite Campus and Chance for Change Academy

• Campus Administrators

• Lead Administrators

• Directors

• Administrator of the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria

• Administrative Assistant II

• Financial Specialist

• Family Engagement Specialist 9-12

Alexander Duncan III has been the Executive Principal of Alexandria City High School since July 2023. Previously, Mr. Duncan served as campus administrator for Alexandria City High School - Minnie Howard campus beginning in 2021.

Mr. Duncan joined ACPS in 2007 as an English teacher and has worked at the middle and high school levels within the division. He has served as a departmental leader, dean of students, assistant principal, and summer school principal. Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and partnerships with the community are a concentration of Mr. Duncan's work.

Mr. Duncan earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Johnson C. Smith University and a Master of Science in educational leadership from Trinity College. He also has endorsem*nts in K-12 instruction.

Preferred Pronouns: He/Him/His

Mr. Lance Harrell
Campus Administrator

lance.harrell@acps.k12.va.us

Lance Harrell is the campus administrator at the Alexandria City High School (ACHS) Minnie Howard Campus, effective Aug. 28, 2023. In this role, Harrell acts on behalf of the executive principal of ACHS in leading a campus of the Connected High School Network (CHSN). Harrell is responsible for implementing the instructional program and ensuring its alignment with division regulations for curriculum design and assessment; providing and promoting a research-based, cohesive curriculum and superior instructional delivery for the success of all students. In the role of campus administrator, Harrell also leads the daily operations of the campus in collaboration with the other ACHS campuses.

Harrell previously served as the lead administrator of operations and student support at the ACHS Minnie Howard Campus. He first came to ACPS in 2014 and served as an academic principal at George Washington Middle School. Before joining ACPS, he was a principal at O.W. Dillon Elementary School and an assistant principal at Ponchatoula Junior High School in Louisiana. Harrell also served as a middle school math teacher.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Southern University and A & M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Harrell earned a Master of Education in educational leadership at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Mrs. Varita Mateos-Bendinelli
Assistant Director of School Counseling and Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Varita.Mateos-Bendinelli@acps.k12.va.us

Areas of Supervision

• Minnie Howard Campus: Professional School Counselors

• Dual Enrollment Coordinator

  • George Washington University /Governor's Health Science Academy (GHSA)

  • Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC)

• Middle School to High School Articulation

Assistant Director of School Counseling and Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Mrs. Mateos-Bendinelli joined ACPS in 2013 with 8 years of secondary counseling experience in California.Her journey as an ACPS counselor began in the IA at AC.She was a counselor at GWMS and transitioned to Assistant Director of Counseling at AC beginning in the fall of 2022.

She is privileged to be entering her nineteenth year with another amazing counseling department in our public educational system. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a minor in Education from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).She has a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from California State University at Northridge and was awarded a Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University.

Originally from Cuernavaca, Morelos México,Mrs. Mateos-Bendinelli’s personal experiences as an immigrant English Language Learner (ELL) have allowed her to use, understand, and navigate resources available within the school and the community.She values and understands the role of teachers, administrators, counselors, the community, and families.Her greatest accomplishment is watching our students walk across the stage with a post-secondary plan in place, making meaningful connections, and feeling supported.As a leader, she continues to promote high expectations for ALL our youth.

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers