Principal- The Knapp School

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JCFS Chicago strives to enhance social-emotional well-being for adults, children, teens and families as well as maximize potential for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. JCFS operates a therapeutic day school in the West Rogers Park Community of Chicago. The Knapp School & Yeshiva serves more than 150 students annually in grades K-12+ with special needs who have struggled to succeed in other educational environments. We believe students can reach their full potential when given the opportunity to journey towards a path of self-discovery. Driven by nurturing relationships and strengths-based supports, the Knapp School provides a holistic educational experience to K-12+ learners with diverse social/emotional and academic needs. The school includes a Yeshiva program to meet the need of Jewish children who have struggled to succeed in local Jewish day schools and would benefit from a therapeutic education milieu with support for Jewish studies.

Each school day we welcome a diverse group of students, and each child is supported in ways that address their specific needs. We support students who are classified in the following special education categories: Emotional Disability (ED), Specific Learning Disability (SLD), Intellectual Disability, Autism including autism spectrum disorders, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Other Health Impairment (OHI).

We work with Chicago Public Schools and with school districts from the Suburban Cook County, Lake County, and the Western Suburbs to serve students who are referred based on their need for a highly structured, therapeutic school setting and individualized approach to learning. Students who are referred by a public school district are educated at Knapp School & Yeshiva at no cost to their families. In doing so we provide both academic and social and emotional supports that are aligned with each student’s specific strengths and needs.

We have an empathetic, trauma informed interpretation of student behavior, and believe that behavior is a student’s way of communicating their needs. Our educators, clinicians and specialists collaborate with parents and guardians to better understand our students and develop practices that enable them to better function within a school setting and ultimately reintegrate. We provide students with explicit social emotional skill-based instruction and opportunities for practice, reinforcement, and collaborative problem solving. We are confident that compassionate relationships, restorative practices, and the development of lagging skills will help students respond to school stressors in adaptive ways.

To fulfill our mission, we are seeking an innovative, results-oriented school leader with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to the social-emotional and educational needs of every student. We believe the principal is a key lever for change and is critical to the success of our school and as such demonstrates the following qualifications:

• Passion for educating and supporting students in a diverse community.
• Honesty and transparency in decision-making as well as clear and consistent communication with all members of the school community.
• Work with the school staff to utilize a framework for effective teaching and learning including data-driven instruction to improve educational outcomes for all students.
• Foster a team approach between various disciplines in the school.
• Ability to connect with students, parents and guardians, and staff, fostering an environment of kindness, empathy, and respect.
• Equity based distributed leadership mindset.
• Strong pedagogical background, exceptional instructional leadership skills, and passion for creating change.
• Philosophical alignment with and support of an empathetic, trauma informed approach to student behavior and a belief that it is our collective responsibility to provide every student with emotional comfort in the form of calming strategies and environmental alterations.
• Supports the integration of restorative practices, with a specific focus on alternatives to out-of-school suspension.
• Ability to manage the day-to-day operations of the school while holding a comprehensive and strategic vision.
• Lead, nurture, and protect a student-centered culture through a differentiated and comprehensive approach to educating and supporting the whole child.
• Champion staff excellence through continuous improvement to develop and achieve the vision of high expectations for all students.
• Proactively develop school policy and procedures to maintain a safe and welcoming school environment.
• Support staff and school community to operate with a shared mission and vision of high expectations that ensures all students reach their full potential.
• Work with the school staff to utilize a framework for effective teaching and learning including data-driven instruction to improve educational outcomes for all students.
• Foster a team approach between various disciplines in the school.
• Support the integration of social emotional learning into the fabric of the school.
• Model and lead full adoption of and integration of Collaborative Problem Solving, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, and Ukeru to support our shared philosophy of care.
• Create a collaborative school community where the school staff interact regularly and share ownership for the success of the school.
• Work with the school staff to create a positive context for learning by ensuring equity, fulfilling professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and serving as a model for the professional behavior of others.
• Hire and retain high-performing staff and support their ongoing development.
• Include students as active partners in decision making and solution implementation.
• Actively manage the school’s finances and budget process.
• Oversee regulatory obligations as outlined in Part 401 Nonpublic Special Education Private Facilities of the Illinois School Code.
• Maintain positive working relationships with cooperating public-school districts.
• Oversee transitional and mainstreaming activities in coordination with cooperating public-school districts.
• Take an active role beyond the school to ensure the school is integrated into the larger agency.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Credentials:

• Minimum 7 years proven, successful experience in a therapeutic day school setting or related space. Experience as a principal is highly desirable.
• Candidate must have at least 3 years of supervisory experience.
• Meets all state requirements including holding licensure in both administration and special education conclusively.
• Master’s degree in Education.
• Must be able to successfully complete Collaborative Problem Solving, Ukeru, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training.

What you’ll love about us:

• Time off:  Paid time off varies by position – can include vacation days, sick days, paid federal holidays, and paid Jewish holidays.
• Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance. 401(k) with base contribution and match. Additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, 6 weeks paid parental leave, and much more.
• Hybrid work environment
• Compensation: the minimum compensation for this position is $140,000.