Mark Weiss has been the Education Director of Operation Respect for more than five years. He was a New York City school principal for 20 years, founding the first alternative high school in the Bronx in 1979 and leading that school for 13 years. He then founded a New Visions 6th - 12th grade public school, School for the Physical City, in 1993 heralded in a New York Times Magazine cover story as "A City School Experiment That Actually Works" leading that school for more than 7 years.

Mr. Weiss's work at Bronx Regional High School served students in the poorest congressional district in the United States, students who were not successful in traditional high schools. Each year, 50 students graduated from Bronx Regional High School in a school with 350 students, and each year the nearest neighborhood high school graduated about 100 students with a population of 1800 students. Mr. Weiss attributes these extraordinary statistics to building a strong feeling of community and bond between students and staff.

Mr. Weiss brings his commitment and expertise in building school communities of respect and learning to his work with Operation Respect. As Educator Director, Mr. Weiss works with a staff of trainers who lead workshops throughout the United States and internationally as well. His most recent work has been in New York City; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Corpus Christi, Texas; as well as Montreal, Canada; and Hong Kong.

Mark has been a Star Factor Coach for several years. He works with school leaders and their administrative teams to help bring the school's vision to fruition.

Mark and his wife, Jane, live in Putnam Valley, New York. They have three grown daughters-a first grade teacher and two social workers. And they have a granddaughter, Alana, 3 ½ years old.