SHARON HILL, PA, January 20, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Richard Mitchell Gordon IV has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
An experienced and passionate educational administrator, Mr. Gordon serves as the principal of Paul Robeson High School, a majority-minority learning institution in Philadelphia. Prior to his appointment in 2013, Paul Robeson High School was amongst 30 economically disadvantaged, underperforming schools that had been targeted for permanent closure amidst a financial crisis that crippled the School District of Philadelphia. Following his assumption of leadership, Mr. Gordon led the school through a period of transformation, from which it emerged with such accolades as the 2017 Most Improved High School in the City of Philadelphia.
Fostering a sense of personal empowerment and a dedication to career building among his students, Mr. Gordon notably developed his "Build Your Own Brand" program to assist them in forging a personalized pathway to success following graduation. Furthermore, he established a socio-emotional learning environment through which pupils could feel safe, connected and invested in their lessons, as well as learn the benefits of open communication and self-reflection. Though the school population largely lives beneath the poverty line, Mr. Gordon has been credited for achieving a 95% annual graduation rate, significantly higher than the city average of 70%.
Having served more than 25 years of experience as an educator, having taught regular and special education, worked as a Discipline/Truancy Liaison in alternative education, and served as an Assistant Principal, and now Principal, Mr. Gordon, who credits his success to leading with love, laughter, and fostering family-like learning environments to enhance academic performance, school safety, and build expansive school-community partnerships through community outreach. Over the years, he has been honored with various accolades, including recognition as the Principal of the Year on three occasions, as the National Principal of the Year via the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) in 2021, the National Principal of the Year through the National Alliance for Black School Educators in 2019 and the National School Administrator of the Year by Education Dive Magazine in 2017. Mr. Gordon was also celebrated as the Pennsylvania State Principal of the Year in 2020, and received both the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Change Community Education Award from the University of Pennsylvania and the Advocate for Change Award from the Made Man Foundation.
Esteemed for his perspective on poverty and education, Mr. Gordon notably contributed an article in the May 2021 edition of the NASSP Principal Leadership Magazine. The article, "Growing Up in Poverty," expounds upon his experiences teaching and working with disadvantaged students. His media profile has also been greatly enhanced by the endorsements of several prominent figures in Philadelphia, including Mayor Jim Kenney and Chief Education Officer Otis Hackney, who lauded Mr. Gordon as one of the best school principals in the city in 2019.
A dedicated advocate for his community, Mr. Gordon presently contributes to the board of directors for several nonprofit organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Education's Regional Educational Laboratory Programs – Mid-Atlantic, Musicopia Incorporated and the Pennsylvania Principals Association. Additionally, he has been active as a community advisor for the University of Pennsylvania's Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships. Mr. Gordon also participates on the advisory board of the Mayor's Office of Black Male Engagement's Black Male Mentoring Initiative, as a member of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders and as a member the Schoolmen's Club of Philadelphia.
A former resident of New Jersey, Mr. Gordon graduated from Pennsauken High School. He subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Arts in social studies education at Lincoln University, a Master of Arts in special education at Coppin State College and a Master of Science in educational leadership at Lehigh University. Mr. Gordon is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in educational leadership at Northcentral University, with an anticipated graduation date of 2024.
In accounting for his success, Mr. Gordon cites the influence of his own childhood, during which time he grew up in largely the same circumstances as many of his current students. His empathy with the plight of his students has allowed him to build strong relationships with kindred spirits, and offer his own story as an example for those who view him as a role model. Throughout the course of his career, Mr. Gordon is incredibly proud to have helped various students discover their own potential, and enter adulthood with the confidence to find their own paths forward.
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