Mark Joseph

KIPP Rise Academy, Newark, NJ

Mr. Joseph’s passion for student success and social justice are renowned throughout KIPP New Jersey. For the past 5 years that Joseph has acted as 6th grade chair, students have achieved the highest attendance rates and GPA averages in the region. Beyond this, Mr. Joseph has founded several after-school clubs as well as KIPP Rise’s Mentor Teacher program. Outside the classroom, he helps facilitate the school’s annual Summer Jump program with a mix of classes, cultural events, and movement. And he is active in the broader Newark community, from mutual aid funds to donation drives and beyond.

“Mark serves as the engine of KIPP Rise Academy,” says Mariel Elguero, KIPP Rise Academy’s Assistant School Leader. “He can singlehandedly make kids and families fall in love with our school and he forms deep, lasting relationships that last far outside the walls of our school building.”