Carolyn Cole began her tenure at Roland Park in July 2006 after serving previously as principal for five years at Frederick Elementary School in Baltimore City.   Ms. Cole has over thirty years teaching experience, including teaching at both elementary and middle school levels and serving as a middle school assistant principal and a curriculum coordinator.

Ms. Cole has received many honors including three Mayor's Citations and a Governor's Citation for excellence when she was an English and drama teacher. In 1996, Ms. Cole received her greatest honor: the national Distinguished Teacher Award presented to her by President Bill Clinton. In February 2006, Ms. Cole was named Elementary Principal of the Year by the Maryland Department of Education and was honored with a Minority Achievement Award.

Ms. Cole currently serves as a mentor for first and second year principals and as a guest principal for the Maryland State Department of Education Principals’ Academy. She is a frequent workshop presenter at national and middle school conferences and has served as a curriculum writer for TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents In School Work) with the Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. 

Ms. Cole has a bachelor's degree and master's degree in education from Morgan State University. She is a member of the Morgan State University Women's Committee and has worked on the university's gala for the past 21 years.