Meet Eastside's Leadership Team
Lead Educator, Scott Shanklin
Scott E. Shanklin, was born and raised in Camden N.J. He is a proud product of Camden City Public Schools and a 1989 graduate from Camden High School. After graduating from high school, Scott furthered his education at Rutgers University in Camden N.J. where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Master’s of Educational Leadership from Cheyney University. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers, Scott became an educator for the Camden City Board of Education where he has served for over 25 years.
Scott began his career as a middle school teacher at Veterans Middle School and has taught fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. He also previously worked as a Middle School Social Studies Teacher at Thomas H. Dudley Family School, Principal of Camden High School, FX Mc Graw Elementary, and Vice Principal of Morgan Village Middle School.
Scott is currently the Lead Educator of Eastside High School in Camden NJ. Eastside High School is committed to academic excellence and providing a high-quality education in a safe and clean learning environment. Eastside High provides a rigorous and collaborative education incorporating school, work, and project based learning, so to develop critical thinking skills and a strong knowledge base, which will help prepare students for success in college or a career.
Scott recognizes and respects the critical role that educators, parents and members of the community play in providing a safe, positive, nurturing learning environment that will empower students to become the best versions of themselves academically, as well as responsible citizenship at school and in the community.
Lead Educator, Iran Mercado, Sr.
Iran Mercado, Sr. was born and raised in the Centerville section of Camden, NJ. He is a proud product of Camden City Public Schools and a 2010 graduate from Creative Arts HS. After graduating from high school, Iran furthered his education at Howard University in Washington, D.C, where he studied English. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Howard, Iran became an educator in the D.C area at Ballou High School.
Yearning to give back to his community, Iran moved back to Camden in 2015, where he continued his career as a Literacy teacher. Eventually, Iran became an ELA educator at Hatch Middle School, now known as Camden Big Picture Learning Academy. Iran has taught at Whittier Middle School where he also served as Grade Level Chair for 3 years and 9th grade English at his alma mater Creative Arts HS.
Iran’s passion for education and contributing back to his community is like no other. He is a founding member of and currently sits on the board of BOSS Mentoring, Inc and earned his MEd is Educational Leadership from William Paterson University. He is married to Sharee Mercado and together they have two children Iran, Jr. (6) Nari (3). His ultimate goal is to change the face of education for the youth in Camden by providing an educational experience that is equivalent to or surpasses that of their counterparts from more affluent areas, one class and one student at a time.