Title
Honoring and Commending Richard M. Gordon, IV for being named the 2021 National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and for his exemplary leadership as the head of Paul Robeson High School for Human Services.
Body
WHEREAS, Richard M. Gordon, IV was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey. Though he grew up in poverty, he credited his parents' tireless efforts to secure him a solid education as instilling in him the fervent belief that every child has the right to a quality education; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, Paul Robeson High School for Human Services, located in West Philadelphia, was one of 27 schools slated for permanent closure by the School Reform Commission (SRC). Students and faculty at the school organized to save Robeson High. On the eve before the SRC vote, the Public School Notebook reported that Robeson had a 90% graduation rate. The school was spared from closure; and
WHEREAS, Later that year, Gordon was hired to turn around Robeson High School as its latest principal. Upon his arrival, Robeson was rapidly losing both staff and students. Recognizing the school's potential, Gordon dedicated himself to reclaiming the promise and possibility of Robeson High School; and
WHEREAS, Gordon immediately galvanized a team of transformative educators and passionate students and promoted a school culture built on service learning, innovative education, and community engagement. He especially prioritized the creation of a vibrant and cohesive school culture and the provision of comprehensive opportunities for college and career readiness for his students which extended beyond the classroom; and
WHEREAS, By 2017, Robeson High School had become the City's most improved public high school. In 2019, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania removed Paul Robeson High School from its academic intervention list. In 2017 and 2019, the high school was honored in U.S. News & World Report as a stellar model of turnaround; and
WHE...
Click here for full text