David Bouie
David Bouie joined the MDE School staff as Dean of Students in 2023. He has dedicated his 25-year career to educating students and teachers, focusing on educational pedagogy and social-emotional learning.
David has experience working in elementary, middle, and high schools as a school counselor, assistant principal, principal, central office administrator, and school developer. He also worked as a crisis counselor just before the pandemic.
Not only is David well-rounded as an educator, but he is experienced in all aspects of special education law, school budgeting, finance, board governance, and strategic planning. David comes to MDE School as an Atlanta Public Schools interim school administrator, an adjunct online professor for teachers and future administrators working on their state certifications, and an ABA therapy provider for children with autism. His experience is extensive and vast.
David shared, “My educational philosophy is that children are most productive when learning in a caring and safe environment. Children also thrive when there is structure and teacher accountability. At MDE School, I will support the teaching staff in creating an ideal learning environment for students so they can blossom.”
David is a proud HBCU graduate of Grambling State University, where he received a BS in Psychology. In addition, he earned a Master of Education degree in Counseling and an advanced certification in Educational Administration from the State University of New York at Brockport. David also earned an Ed. S degree in Administrator Leadership from Waldren University.
Originally from Rochester, New York, David has also worked in schools in Maryland and Pennsylvania. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2020, vowing never to shovel snow again. He remains loyal to New York sports teams and is a passionate fan of the Buffalo Bills, New York Yankees, and Syracuse Orange. David enjoys hiking, exercising, live music, Italian food, and movies, especially romantic comedies (shhh, don’t tell anyone). He is a father to two Atlanta-based adult children and has one granddaughter.
“I’m excited to excited to share my passion, enthusiasm and desire to help special needs children grow and pursue their goals and aspirations,” David said.
Mindy Elkan, MA, CCC, SLP
Mindy is the founder and Executive Director of MDE School. She started the school in 2009 because, as a speech-language pathologist and the Co-founder and Director of Greater Atlanta Speech and Language Clinic, she saw a need in the community to serve children who learn differently and need more individualized attention. Mindy established MDE School to focus on children with communication disorders and academic and social skills deficits. Mindy has grown MDE School from 3 students to over 100. MDE School gained non-profit status in 2016.
