Biographical Info

Brief Overview

REACH partners with Chicagoland Jewish day schools to help all students thrive. Through consultation, student services, community collaboration, and professional development, REACH strengthens schools’ ability to meet academic, emotional, social, and health needs of all students.

Areas We Address

A day school would engage with us if they are looking to develop or enhance ….  

• The structure, staffing, and operations of their resource and student support departments. 
• School-wide capacity to support students with social-emotional, executive functioning, or behavioral challenges using evidence-based frameworks like Collaborative Problem Solving and Social Thinking. 
• Implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that incorporates data-driven decision making and proactive, tiered intervention planning.

Expected Outcomes

Working with us, a school should expect to accomplish …. 

Building comprehensive, sustainable systems that address the full spectrum of student needs. Schools will expand their ability to serve students through individualized services (e.g., special education, counseling, speech/OT) and increase the capacity of classroom teachers through professional development and coaching. Staff will demonstrate increased confidence and competence in managing diverse learners, while students and families will gain improved access to timely support and resources. Additionally, schools will implement systems aligned with MTSS, enabling them to better monitor progress and tailor interventions effectively.

Key Activities

We help schools achieve their goals by implementing the following ….

• Professional Development: Offering workshops, PLCs, and one-on-one coaching in areas such as special education, classroom management, Collaborative Problem Solving, and data-driven instruction. 
• Direct Student Services: Providing speech therapy, occupational therapy, school counseling, academic coaching, and diagnostic referrals. In FY25 alone, over 1,000 students across 16 schools received direct or group-based services. 

• Consultation and Capacity Building: Partnering with school leadership to restructure student services departments, hire and train staff, and implement effective intervention models. 

• Family Engagement: Offering parent workshops and support (e.g., Collaborative Problem Solving classes) to strengthen the home-school partnership and expand student success beyond the classroom. 

• Collaboration and Innovation: Working with external partners to integrate mental health services and support evolving needs across the school community. 

 

Setting Expectations

To ensure the impact of our support, we expect schools to … 

Prioritize building internal systems and invest in ongoing collaboration with REACH consultants. Schools should allocate staff time for coaching, allow for regular progress review meetings, and actively work to implement shared recommendations.

To ensure the impact of our support, we expect administrators to… 

Engage as active partners by facilitating access to staff, ensuring alignment with school-wide goals, and allocating resources (time, space, staff) to implement strategies and services. Administrators should help shape the vision and hold the school accountable to best practices in student support.

To ensure the impact of our support, we expect classroom teachers to… 

Participate in training and follow-up coaching, openly collaborate with REACH staff, and integrate tools and techniques into their classroom practice. Teachers are expected to be reflective, open to feedback, and committed to supporting all learners through differentiated instruction and inclusive strategies.