What We Look For - KIPP Chicago Public Schools

What We Look For

At KIPP Chicago we look for talented, dedicated, diverse, and experienced educators to help empower the next generation of students reach their highest potential.

Teachers

We believe that students learn best when they are having fun, when they feel cared about, and when their more basic needs are met. That means our teachers are intentional about meeting social-emotional needs, encouraging passions, and creating environments in which each child feels seen and valued for who they are. Establishing and engaging in trusting and collaborative relationships with students’ families is also fundamental.

Roles

  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Diverse Learners
  • Excellence
  • Kindergarten co-teachers
  • Teacher residents

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Two years’ experience as classroom teacher in communities similar to ours (required)
  • Illinois teacher license with LBS 1 endorsement is required for any Diverse Learners Teachers
  • Illinois teacher license with one of the following: ESL endorsement, Bilingual – Spanish endorsement, or Transitional Bilingual Educator license is required for English Learner Teachers

School-Based Non-Instructional Roles

Operations Teams

Our Operations teams include Custodians at some campuses, Office Managers, Operations Managers, Directors of Operations, and School Operations Leaders. The excellence of our school operations teams is crucial to our teachers’ and students’ success.

Student Support Personnel

Diverse Learners Case Managers supervise and coordinate special education programming to support students with IEPs and 504s. There is one Case Manager at each of our K – 8 schools.

Social workers, speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nurses directly support the learning of students with IEPs.

  • Respective Illinois professional license (required)
  • Prior experience in communities similar to ours (preferred)

Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals support the individual needs of students with IEPs throughout the school day in alignment with their IEPs. They collaborate with teachers and employ best practices to support students’ independence. Paraprofessionals are managed by the Assistant Principal and/or Diverse Learners Case Manager of each campus.

  • Prior experience in communities similar to ours (required)
  • An Associate’s Degree or a High School Diploma with a score of 460 on the ETS ParaPro test or a score of 4 on the ACT WorkKeys test sections for reading and math (required)

High School Transition Advisor and College Advisor

Supports and advises students in their journeys to and through college and career.

Regional Roles

KIPP Chicago is looking for dynamic and dedicated people to join its regional team. Every position is critical to KIPP Chicago’s mission of empowering the next generation of leaders. We believe that every role contributes to a strong culture of achievement that helps our students become thoughtful, intentional citizens in the competitive world.

REQUIREMENTS:

Non-instructional job requirements vary depending on the role. Please review the qualifications on the job description for any roles you are interested in.

DESIRED QUALITIES:

Commitment
We strongly believe that all students can and will succeed. Our staff operates each day with this belief at the forefront. We are looking for staff members who align to this unwavering commitment.

Growth Mindset
A tenet of our beliefs is that we can constantly improve. Feedback is an important part of our organizational culture and all members of our team strive to improve through reflection and professional growth.

Organization & Communication
Ability to balance and prioritize multiple tasks is integral to roles. Our teams achieve lofty goals through thoughtful communication, project management, and organizational skills.

Team & Family
We are only as strong as our collective team. We celebrate, collaborate and lift each other up. In prospective team members, we look for candidates dedicated to building relationships with their colleagues and being part of a team.