Laboratory Schools: Assistant Director of Student Services

Department

Lab School Student Services

About the Department

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, students in Nursery through Grade 12 experience a world-class educational journey. Founded in 1896 by John Dewey as a place for educators to develop and explore novel approaches to pedagogy and curriculum, Lab continues to provide excitement and imagination in learning to this day. Academic rigor, experiential learning, and intellectual discourse are hallmarks of a Lab education. Lab educators are recognized for excellence in teaching and pride themselves on innovation in the classroom. Students in every grade have access to unparalleled resources, and all members of the Lab community benefit by partnerships and connections with the University of Chicago. Families who choose Lab care deeply about curiosity, inquiry, and creativity.

No less than scholarship, Lab’s mission prioritizes honoring diversity and exhibiting kindness. We are committed to building and supporting a teaching and learning community where young people see aspects of their backgrounds and identities reflected around them, where they feel a deep sense of belonging, and where they discover and use their voices to full effect. Today, 53-59 percent of Lab’s student body are students of color. Families report speaking nearly 40 different languages in their homes. Approximately 60 percent of Lab families are also affiliated with the University of Chicago. Half of our families live in Hyde Park, and the rest come from across Chicago, the suburbs, and northwestern Indiana. Inclusion is a fundamental value at Lab, such that we celebrate every facet of community members’ identities, and even where we disagree, we emphasize respect, civility, and maintaining a spirit of community.

Lab seeks the finest employees to join our vibrant learning community. We employ people with a wide range of skills and training in many different disciplines, who have in common a love of learning and the wish to inspire that same love of learning in young people. We seek candidates for employment who thrive in an educational environment. We provide a great professional home for those committed to collaboration, ongoing personal and professional growth, and cultivating positive relationships. In turn, we strive to ensure that Lab is a joyful, welcoming, and inspiring place to work. Through our connection to the University, faculty, staff, and administrators enjoy benefits and opportunities that would be nearly impossible to match in any other environment.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Student Services (ADSS) is pivotal to advancing Lab’s mission of honoring diversity, ensuring that every student, regardless of how they learn, feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. They bring Lab’s Theory of Action to life by connecting research to the classroom, ensuring that Curriculum and Instruction, Diversity and Inclusion, and SEL are woven together to support the academic, social, and emotional development of every student.

In collaboration with school leadership and the Learning and Counseling Department (L&C), the ADSS helps develop and sustain systems that support student achievement. This includes leading the school’s neurodiversity initiatives, overseeing the formal accommodations process, and leveraging student data to evaluate and enhance support services. As a primary resource for faculty and a supportive partner for families, the ADSS helps foster a collaborative community where every student has the tools they need to thrive.

The Assistant Director of Student Services reports to the Director of Student Services.

Responsibilities

• Lead school-wide neurodiversity initiatives by translating current research into best practices and facilitating professional development on inclusive instructional strategies. 

• Lead the strategic implementation of a comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to ensure equitable access and growth for all students across N-12th grade. 

• Oversee all stages of the formal accommodations process, including the interpretation of neuropsychological evaluations,  drafting of support plans, and coordination of annual reviews.

• Establish and maintain systems for analyzing student support data, utilizing progress indicators to assess the effectiveness of interventions.

• Participate in divisional staffing and goal-setting meetings to ensure aligned support across  N-12th grade.

• Partner with L&C and divisional administration to facilitate student transitions between divisions, ensuring accommodations and support services continue without interruption.

• Act as an administrative resource for families i