Ms. Wood discusses her new publication, HomeWork: Lessons Learned in the Home for Success in School and Life on WOLB’s show Love & Happiness hosted by Veris Lee.

Maxine Johnson Wood is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and a product of the Baltimore City Public Schools. She is a graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (Bachelor of Arts) and Towson University, Towson, Maryland (Master of Education). Her Doctorate in Urban Education was earned at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Maxine began her career in public education, as a high school history teacher, at the age of twenty, at Frederick Douglass High School, Baltimore, Maryland. She spent more than twenty years as an educator in the Baltimore City Public Schools, holding positions as a classroom teacher at the middle and high school levels; proposal developer/grants writer; coordinator for specially funded federal, state, and non-local programs; and principal of two BCPSS elementary schools.

Maxine joined the Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, VA, as Executive Assistant to the Superintendent in July 1988. She was selected by the City Manager and Superintendent as co-organizer of the “City and Schools Staff Group on Youth,” a unique, pioneering initiative that included representatives from the schools and every city agency working with children and youth. Later, she was promoted to Assistant Superintendent, Executive Assistant Superintendent, and served as the Acting Superintendent of the Alexandria City Public Schools for the 1994–95 school year.

Maxine joined the Talent Development High Schools (TDHS) program at the Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, in December 2001. Maxine was appointed to the Board of School Commissioners, Baltimore City Public Schools, in 2007. She completed her six years of service as Commissioner in 2013. From 2008 to 2014 she served TDS as Chief Operating Officer for Site Development and Operations. In December 2014, Maxine was named Director/Senior Advisor for the Pathways from Poverty Consortium at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education.

Maxine believes that her work in public education over many years has prepared her well to assist, serve, and support educators, researchers, and others committed to responding to students’ and families’ needs as they seek viable, effective educational opportunities and academic success.