Administration

Mr. Peter McKnight began serving as Charles R. Drew Charter School’s Head of School in July 2019.  In this role, he leads Drew’s “cradle-to-college” continuum, which includes the Elementary, Junior and Senior Academies and is the educational component of the broader East Lake Community revitalization effort. Before being named Head of School, Mr. McKnight spent six years as Drew’s founding principal of the Senior Academy. As principal, he stewarded the school’s first graduating class, in 2017, to a 100% graduation rate.  Under his leadership, every Senior Academy graduating class earned the highest graduation rate in Atlanta Public Schools, and the SeniocKnight has implemented a rigorous STEAM and Project-Based curriculum in the Senior Academy and has had tremendous success leading his team and meeting the varying needs of his students. 

Prior to joining Drew Charter School, Mr. McKnight had a six-year tenure as founding principal of the School of Law and Social Justice.  He also previously taught Geometry, Calculus and Advanced Placement Calculus at South Atlanta High School, after he was initially assigned there as a Teach for America fellow.

Mr. McKnight was recently recognized by the Georgia Charter Schools Association as the 2019 Georgia Charter Schools Leader of the Year.  He is also a member of Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2020.

Mr. McKnight holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Religious Studies and Mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He received his master’s degree in education from Georgia State University.  Mr. McKnight is married and has two young boys.    
 

Mrs. O’Neill is a career educator with more than twenty years of experience. She joined Drew Charter School in July 2013 as the Elementary Academy Dean of Students and has served as the Interim Principal from April-May 2016.       During her time at Drew Charter School, she has worked collaboratively with staff to ensure effective instructional programming, evaluated teacher performance and provided meaningful feedback, monitored student behavior, and worked with parents and other stakeholders to maintain a strong community.

Prior to her employment at Drew Charter School, Mrs. O’Neill was the Director of Pre-AP English Curriculum and Content Development for The College Board, the Director of Literacy, Social Studies and World Languages for Atlanta Public Schools and held various classroom teaching roles.

Mrs. O'Neill is pursuing an Ed.D. in School Improvement from the University of West Georgia, holds a Masters in English Education from New York University and a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education from Spelman College, as well as several other educational certifications.

Mrs. O’Neill and her husband live in the Kirkwood neighborhood and have three children who attend Drew Charter School.

 Dr. Gunner is a career educator with more than twenty-five years of experience in teaching and administration and 
 was named principal of the Junior Academy in July 2022. 

 Prior to her employment at Charles R. Drew Charter School, Dr. Gunner had a six-year tenure as principal of Peyton 
 Forest Elementary School, where she moved the school from the state turnaround list to one of the state’s designated
 Beating the Odds Schools. She has also held the positions of assistant principal, Instructional Coach, and teacher throughout her career.  

 Through Dr. Gunner’s accomplishments as a principal, she has been afforded the opportunity to be featured in
 the New York Times Magazine and present at several conferences detailing her work in school transformation.
Dr. Gunner was also named a 2021 Cahn Fellow for Distinguished Principals at Columbia University. 

Dr. Gunner earned her Doctorate degree (Ed.D) in Leadership and Administration (P-12) at Georgia Southern University, holds a Master’s degree, a Specialist degree (Ed.S), and a Bachelor’s degree (BA) from Spelman College.

She and her husband, Larry, have three children, the last of whom is a Drew Senior Academy graduate.

 

Dr. Kendrick L. Myers has spent ten years educating students in grades 8-12, working in the Montgomery County, Auburn City, Opelika City, and Atlanta Public Schools systems. In 2016, he was awarded State Assistant Principal of the Year in Alabama. The following year, Dr. Myers moved to Atlanta as Senior Academy Dean of Students at Drew Charter School to successfully matriculate the school’s first graduating class into college. He served as Senior Academy Dean of Students for three years and was named principal of Drew’s Senior Academy in July 2019.

Dr. Myers’ tenacity and passion for children have enabled him to work with various organizations, including the BICS mentoring program, CLAS, Auburn University, AT&T, the International Mentoring Association, and Purpose Built Schools. In his seven-year tenure as an administrator, he has continuously contributed to graduation rates above 90%, decreased discipline infractions by nearly 30%, and witnessed many academic achievements for his students. He attributes much of his success to collaboration with university/ college partners, stakeholders, and colleagues who continuously guide him toward becoming a better administrator.  

Dr. Myers is not only a dedicated educator but also a lifelong learner. He received his bachelor’s degree in English Education from Alabama State University and continued his academic journey with a master’s degree in Secondary Language Arts from Auburn University in Montgomery.  He further honed his skills with a master’s in educational administration and an educational specialist degree in administration from Auburn University, and he earned his PhD in educational leadership from Auburn University. His academic achievements reflect his commitment to excellence and his deep understanding of the field of education. 

Dr. Myers and his wife have five children.