From Center Stage to Community Architect: How Gordon Craig Engineers Leadership at E.L. Haynes
Service is not just a career choice for Gordon Craig; it is a family legacy. With a mother who dedicated 43 years to education and a brother who serves as a firefighter, Gordon grew up understanding that true fulfillment comes from investing in others.
Seven years ago, he brought his unique background in theater and his heart for service to E.L. Haynes as a theater teacher through the Capital Teacher Residency program. He didn’t arrive with a rigid master plan—he simply threw his boundless energy into the arts, using the stage to build confidence, voice, and presence in his middle school students.
But as it turns out, Haynes had even bigger plans for him.
“Haynes has allowed me to grow so much,” Gordon reflects. “I went from a theater teacher to working in leadership. Pushing into the arts didn’t just build confidence for the students—it built confidence within myself.”
Today, Gordon is the Out-of-School Time (OST) Manager for the middle school, overseeing a vibrant array of programming that spans from pre-K through 12th grade.
The Intertwined Community: Blurring the Lines of Learning
At many schools, the bell at 3:00 PM marks a hard boundary. At E.L. Haynes, as we evolve into a dynamic STEAM school, we recognize that learning, exploration, and community-building happen around the clock. Under Gordon’s leadership, the OST team acts as the bridge.
“We collaborate across campuses to create new and innovative ways to sharpen our toolkit,” Gordon explains. “We are intentional about designing environments where our families feel safe, comfortable, and deeply excited.”
This isn’t an auxiliary program operating in a silo; it is a structural pillar of the Haynes experience. Gordon’s daytime staff are a constant, comforting presence in the building—navigating lunch, facilitating recess, and building authentic relationships with students long before aftercare officially begins. By weaving full-time classroom teachers into after-school clubs, Gordon has created an intertwined community where academic development and creative exploration seamlessly bleed into one another.
Cultivating the Niche: A Leader Who Builds Leaders
Gordon’s transition from instructional artistry to program management highlights the exact kind of professional mobility that makes Haynes distinct. He has traded the director’s chair for a managerial role where he coaches a diverse team of educators and staff.
“It has truly broadened my experience,” Gordon says. “It has built my managerial skills to recruit staff, retain them, and mentor them. My job is to really figure out what their specific niches are, see what their skill sets are, and figure out how to pull that magic out of them so they can show up great and enthusiastic for our students every day.”
By recognizing the unique genius in his staff, Gordon ensures that the school’s signature events, family engagement groups, and cross-campus initiatives are powered by genuine joy.
Fasten Your Seatbelt
When asked what advice he would give to anyone looking to join the relentless, rewarding world of E.L. Haynes, Gordon leans back and grins with characteristic transparency.
“Put your seatbelt on,” he laughs. “No day is the same, which is exactly what I love about this place. You have to come in ready—seatbelt fastened, a smile on your face, and ready to take the reins of the day.”
Just like Notorious B.I.G.—Gordon’s favorite 90s lyricist and a masterful wordsmith who redefined an era—Gordon appreciates the power of unexpected brilliance. He came to Haynes to teach theater. He stayed because he found a community resourceful enough to see his talent, and relational enough to hand him the reins to build the future.