In this episode of Little Wins, host Karen Borchert sits down with Grant W. Gellert, Assistant Principal at MaST Community Charter School in Philadelphia. With nearly two decades at MaST, beginning as an English teacher and now leading the high school. Grant shares how deep roots and responsive leadership shape a culture where students and teachers thrive.

From innovative learning spaces and student-led town halls to the school’s daily Flex program, Grant reveals how MaST builds a sense of pride and community that keeps students and even alumni returning as staff. His leadership style anchored in visibility, responsiveness, and grace, models what it means to build trust and inspire both teachers and students.

If you’ve ever wondered how small daily choices add up to a strong, joyful school culture, this conversation is full of insight and inspiration.

💡 Little Wins in This Episode:

• Creating Community Through Design: From updated buildings to innovative learning spaces, MaST prioritizes pride in the physical environment as a foundation for pride in learning.

• Elevating Teacher Voice: Grant builds culture by making sure teachers are heard—through committees, hallway conversations, and everyday visibility.

• Town Halls & Pods: Revamping student-led forums and cross-grade groups to foster dialogue, mentoring, and shared responsibility.

• The Flex Program: Daily choice-based sessions that mix remediation, clubs, and creative electives—from Hamilton deep-dives to dorm-room cooking—keeping student learning fresh, personal, and fun.

• Culture in Three Words: Pride, grace, and inspiration—Grant’s personal compass for school culture and growth.

Key Moments

03:47 Innovative Learning and Community Spirit

08:49 Career Change Leads to Long Teaching Tenure

10:17 Cultivating Leadership and Culture

14:32 Encouraging Responsiveness in Education

16:18 Proactive Note-Taking and Meetings

20:49 Random Pod Meetings in Education

23:45 Balancing Activity Variety in Programs

27:13 Weekly Flex Period Planning

31:03 Impact of School Expansion

35:18 "IKEA's Impact on Community Pride"

35:52 Creating Pride Through Innovative Spaces

39:25 Challenges of a High School Principal

Connect with Mr Grant W Gellert

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-gellert-217b913b

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🧵 About the Podcast:

Little Wins is the podcast that digs into the small, deliberate actions school leaders are taking to build strong, human-centered cultures, one meaningful win at a time.

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