Mark Gaither

Elementary Principal | Baltimore, MD

Mark Gaither is the Principal of Wolfe Street Academy, a community school in Baltimore, Maryland. 76% of Wolfe Street’s students are ELLs, and 96% live in stark poverty. With support from the Baltimore Curriculum Project and the Baltimore Family League, Mark has spearheaded the effort to implement the community school strategy at Wolfe Street, building partnerships and expanding services for families that include a robust after-school program; multiple strategies for addressing food scarcity; dental, medical, counseling, and academic support; and numerous enrichment opportunities for students.

In this in-depth interview with Colorín Colorado, featured as part of our Community Schools and ELLs video project, Mark talks about the what, who, how, and why of community schools; describes some of the services that Wolfe Street offers its families; and shares some of his favorite success stories from more than a decade as principal.