application letter for private schools

Application For Teacher Job In Private School

Ai generator.

Explore the definitive guide to creating a successful application for a teacher job in a private school. This comprehensive resource offers a wealth of examples and strategic insights into crafting impactful “Teacher Letters.” Whether you’re an experienced educator or just starting out, our guide provides you with the tools and knowledge to present your qualifications effectively. Discover how to stand out in the competitive private school sector and make a lasting impression on hiring committees.

Application For Teacher Job In Private School Example

[Principal’s Name/ Hiring Manager’s Name] [School’s Name] [School’s Address] [City, State, Zip]

Dear [Principal’s/Hiring Manager’s Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [Specific Position] at [School’s Name], as advertised on [Where You Found the Job Posting]. With a [Your Degree] in [Your Major] from [Your University] and [Number of Years] years of experience in [Teaching/Related Field], I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your esteemed faculty.

In my current role at [Your Current or Previous School], I have [Mention a Significant Achievement or Experience]. My approach to education involves [Briefly Describe Your Teaching Philosophy or Method]. I am particularly skilled in [Mention Any Special Skills or Areas of Expertise], which I believe aligns well with [School’s Name]’s focus on [Mention Any Known School Program or Teaching Approach].

I am impressed by [School’s Name]’s commitment to [Mention Something Notable About the School, like Inclusive Education, Innovative Programs, etc.]. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing my [Mention Specific Skills or Experiences] to your school and collaborating with your team to foster an engaging and supportive learning environment.

Enclosed is my resume, which provides further details about my professional journey. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my experience and passion for teaching align with the needs of your school. Thank you for considering my application.

[Your Full Name]

[Attachment: Resume]

  Download This Template In Word | Download This Template In PDF

How To Format an Application For Teacher Job In Private School

Formatting an application for a teacher job in a private school involves several key elements to ensure it’s professional, clear, and impactful:

Start with your contact information at the top. Include your name, address, phone number, and email. Also, add the date of the application.

Strong Header Example

Jane Doe 123 Education Lane, Teacherville, ED 12345 (123) 456-7890 [email protected] January 18, 2024 Principal John Smith Prestige Academy Private School 456 Academy Avenue, Schooltown, ST 67890

Weak Header Example

Jane [email protected]

Recipient Details

Address the letter to a specific individual if possible. Include their name, title (such as Principal or Hiring Manager), the school’s name, and address.

Strong Recipient Details Example

Principal John Smith Prestige Academy Private School 456 Academy Avenue Schooltown, ST 67890

Weak Recipient Details Example

To Whom It May Concern Prestige Academy

Use a formal greeting like “Dear [Recipient’s Name],”. If the specific name is unknown, “Dear Hiring Committee,” is a suitable alternative.

Strong Salutation Example

Dear Principal Smith, or Dear Dr. Johnson,

Weak Salutation Example

To Whom It May Concern, or “Dear Sir/Madam,

Introduction

Open with a strong introduction stating the purpose of your letter. Mention the specific teaching position you’re applying for and where you found the job listing.

Strong Introduction Example

Dear Principal Smith, I am writing to express my keen interest in the Primary Teacher position at Prestige Academy Private School, as highlighted on your website. With a Master’s in Elementary Education and four years of dedicated teaching experience at Greenwood Elementary, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to your esteemed institution’s academic excellence.

Weak Introduction Example

Hello, I saw your job posting and am applying for a teaching position. I have been teaching for a few years and think I would fit in.

First Paragraph: Briefly outline your relevant educational background and teaching experience.

Second Paragraph: Highlight specific skills or achievements that make you a good fit for the position. Discuss your teaching philosophy and methods.

Third Paragraph: Explain why you are interested in this particular school. Reference any specific programs, values, or initiatives of the school that resonate with your approach to teaching.

Strong Body Example

In my recent role at Green Valley Elementary, I spearheaded a STEM integration project, enhancing student engagement in science and math by 40%. My teaching philosophy centers around creating a dynamic, inclusive learning environment that caters to diverse learning styles. At Prestige Academy, I am particularly excited about applying my experience to contribute to your innovative teaching methods and inclusive educational approach, ensuring every student achieves their fullest potential.

Weak Body Example

I have been teaching for a few years now and have worked with different age groups. In my classes, I cover all necessary subjects and ensure students understand the lessons. I am good at maintaining discipline and managing the classroom.

Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity to discuss your application in more detail. Thank the reader for considering your application.

Strong Conclusion Example

I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to join Prestige Academy Private School’s team of exceptional educators. I look forward to potentially contributing my innovative teaching methods and passion for educational excellence to your school. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to discuss how my experience and vision align with the goals of your esteemed institution.

Weak Conclusion Example

Please let me know if I get the job. I really need a teaching position and would like to work at your school. Thanks for reading my application.

End with a professional closing like “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your full name.

Strong Closing Example

Sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Your Contact Information: Phone Number and Email Address] [LinkedIn Profile or Professional Website, if applicable]

Weak Closing Example

Thanks, [First Name]

Attachments

Mention that your resume and any other required documents are attached or enclosed.

Strong Attachments Example

Enclosed with this letter, you will find my detailed resume, copies of my teaching certifications, letters of recommendation from previous employers, and a portfolio of lesson plans I have developed. Additionally, I have included my recent criminal background check as required by your school’s application guidelines.

Weak Attachments Example

Please see my resume attached.

Tips for Filling Out an Application For Teacher Job In Private School

Embarking on the journey to secure a teaching position in a private school requires a meticulously crafted application. Here are some tips to ensure your application stands out:

Understand the School’s Culture : Research the school’s ethos, teaching methods, and values. Tailor your application to resonate with their specific culture.

Highlight Relevant Experience : Emphasize teaching experiences that align with the private school’s curriculum. Showcase how your background makes you a perfect fit.

Showcase Your Educational Qualifications : Clearly outline your degrees, certifications, and any specialized training. Private schools often look for well-qualified educators.

Extracurricular Activities Matter : Highlight your involvement in extracurricular activities. Private schools value teachers who can contribute to the overall development of their students.

Be Specific and Succinct : Use clear examples to showcase your achievements and teaching strategies. Avoid long-winded explanations.

Proofread Thoroughly : Errors in your application can be a major turn-off. Ensure your application is error-free and professionally presented.

Include Strong References : References should speak to your teaching abilities and character, ideally from previous educational settings.

Personalize Your Cover Letter : Write a compelling cover letter that reflects your enthusiasm for teaching and particularly for the role at the private school.

Follow Up : After submitting your application, a follow-up email can demonstrate your continued interest and commitment.

Mistakes to Avoid for an Application For Teacher Job In Private School

Navigating the application process for a teaching job in a private school can be challenging. Here are common pitfalls to avoid:

Using a Generic Approach : Tailor each application to the specific school. Generic applications are often disregarded.

Insufficient Research : Not researching the school thoroughly can lead to a misaligned application.

Overlooking Extracurricular Skills : Failing to mention your involvement in extracurricular activities is a missed opportunity.

Spelling and Grammar Mistakes : These errors can significantly undermine your professionalism.

Vagueness : Be specific about your experiences and achievements. Avoid general statements.

Ignoring the School’s Curriculum and Culture : Your application should reflect an understanding of and alignment with the school’s curriculum.

Forgetting Required Documents : Ensure you attach all necessary certifications and references.

Omitting a Cover Letter : A well-written cover letter is crucial to making a strong first impression.

Lack of Enthusiasm : Your passion for teaching and for the specific role should be evident in your application.

Not Following Application Instructions : Failing to follow the specified application process can lead to automatic disqualification.

For teachers aspiring to secure a position in a private school, crafting a well-rounded application is crucial. Your application should effectively showcase your teaching skills, experience, and passion for education. By following the guidelines provided, you can present a compelling case to private school hiring committees, positioning yourself as a standout candidate in the competitive world of private school education.

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• Express your intentions in writing the letter / application.
• Make sure that you mention your qualifications and other supporting facts as to why you are eligible for admission to the school.
• End on a positive tone.

SAMPLE LETTER

[Letter Date]

[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] -Optional-

Dear [Recipients Name],

I am writing to express my desire to enroll in your prestigious school for this coming school year. I believe that I am highly qualified and deserve to go to your honorable school because (list down the various positive qualities that you have here). Also, you will find that I have excellent academic records from my previous school. Please find attached my records for your perusal. I look forward to hearing from you about this matter.

Sincerely, [Senders Name] [Senders Title] -Optional-

[Enclosures: number] - Optional - cc: [Name of copy recipient] - Optional -

Application letter for school admission. Sample letter.

Further things to consider when writing application letters to schools

Application Letters

Application letters are letters that you write to formally request for something from authority, apply for a job, or join an institution. Effective application letters will give a detailed explanation for your interest in the specific item, company, or institution. They showcase your abilities and strengths and illustrate your experience. In most cases, people write application letters to express their interest in receiving a position, attending an institution, or when applying for a visa, for instance. In all scenarios, application letters must be accompanied by the relevant documents. Application letters are the perfect tool to demonstrate something of your personality. Therefore, you should write in a professional tone setting a clear outline that allows the reader to scan the primary data quickly. Introduce yourself and briefly explain your intent and reason for the application. Address the letter with a title or name of the recipient. If your application is for a job or to join an institution, for example, you need to highlight your experience and qualification; if you are applying for a travel visa, make sure to state a clear intention for your travel. End with a positive tone and invite the recipient to contact you.

Letters to Schools

Letters to schools are letters written to institutions designed to provide learning environment and spaces to pupils and students. There are many times when you may feel the need to write to a school administration. Maybe you want to recommend a student or employee or want to apply for an academic program. Perhaps your child has a disability, and you want to make sure that he/she is receiving special education services. Whatever the issue, putting your thoughts in writing avoids confusion since it provides you and the recipient with a record of your request. It is, therefore, crucial to keep a copy of any letter you send. All letters to schools must use the standard business letter style. Start your letter with the proper address and salutation. Introduce yourself and explain the reason for your letter clearly and concisely. Depending on the content of your letter, provide any documentation that gives the recipient reference to the case or clarifies your concerns. Keep the tone polite, respectful, and professional. Close by thanking the recipient for his/her time and with a note of anticipation of positive feedback. Sign off and proofread the final draft before sending it.

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Sample Application Letter for School Admission for Child

In this guide, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process, share  customizable templates , and offer personal tips from my experience to help you create an effective application letter.

Key Takeaways Understanding the Purpose : Grasp the significance of the application letter in the school admission process. Personalizing the Content : Learn how to tailor the letter to highlight your child’s unique attributes and potential contributions to the school. Structuring the Letter : A step-by-step guide on the components of the letter. Template Usage : Access to proven templates to simplify your writing process. Expert Tips : Benefit from insights and tips based on real-life experiences in writing successful application letters.

Understanding the Purpose of the Application Letter

The application letter is your opportunity to present your child in a way that goes beyond grades and certificates. It’s about telling a story, your child’s story, and how it aligns with the values and ethos of the prospective school.

Personal Insights

In my experience, schools are looking for students who will not only benefit from but also contribute to the school’s environment. Hence, understanding the school’s values and ethos is crucial before you start writing.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing the Letter

Step 1: research the school.

Before you start writing, research the school. Understand its values, what it stands for, and what it seeks in its students. This information will be the foundation of your letter.

Step 2: Start with a Strong Opening

Begin with a compelling introduction that captures the essence of your child’s personality or a significant achievement that aligns with the school’s values.

Trending Now: Find Out Why!

Example : “When Jane solved her first complex math puzzle, it wasn’t just about numbers; it was about problem-solving, perseverance, and the joy of learning – qualities that resonate with [School’s Name] ethos.”

Step 3: Highlight Key Attributes and Achievements

Discuss your child’s attributes, interests, and accomplishments. Connect these with how they can contribute to and benefit from the school.

Tip : Use specific examples to illustrate your points. Real-life instances make your letter more personal and impactful.

Step 4: Discuss the Alignment with the School’s Values

Explain why the school’s environment is the ideal setting for your child’s growth and how their presence can enhance the school community.

Step 5: Conclude Positively

End with a positive note, expressing enthusiasm about the possibility of your child joining the school community.

Template for Application Letter for School Admission

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [School’s Name] [School’s Address] [City, State, Zip Code]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am writing to express my child, [Child’s Name]’s, interest in joining [School’s Name] for [Grade/Year]. [Introduction – Briefly introduce your child and mention a standout quality or achievement relevant to the school’s ethos].

[Body Paragraph 1 – Discuss your child’s key attributes, interests, and how they align with the school’s values and offerings].

[Body Paragraph 2 – Highlight your child’s achievements and how they can contribute to and benefit from the school environment].

In conclusion, [Child’s Name]’s passion for [Key Interest] and their [Key Attribute] make them a fitting candidate for [School’s Name]. We are enthusiastic about the prospect of [Child’s Name] becoming part of your school community and contributing to its vibrant atmosphere.

Thank you for considering our application. We look forward to the possibility of [Child’s Name] joining [School’s Name] and contributing to its esteemed legacy.

[Your Name]

Personal Tips from Experience

• Authenticity Matters : Schools can tell when a letter is genuine. Let your child’s personality shine through.
• Be Concise : While it’s important to be thorough, keep your letter concise and to the point.
• Proofread : Typos or grammatical errors can detract from your letter’s impact. Always proofread before sending.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: how do i showcase my child’s unique talents in an application letter for school admission.

Answer : In my application letter, I highlighted my child’s unique talents by giving specific examples of their achievements and creativity, like the time they won a local art competition, which showed their exceptional skills and passion for the arts.

Q: What should I include in the application letter to express my child’s enthusiasm for learning?

Answer : I made sure to include anecdotes of my child’s natural curiosity and eagerness to learn, such as their endless questions about space, which demonstrate their genuine interest in acquiring knowledge.

Q: How can I address my child’s special needs in the application letter?

Answer : In the letter, I openly discussed my child’s special needs, emphasizing how they’ve overcome challenges with resilience and determination, which I believe showcases their strength and character.

Q: Is it important to mention my child’s extracurricular activities in the school admissions application letter?

Answer : Absolutely, I included details about my child’s involvement in sports and music, illustrating their well-rounded character and teamwork skills, which are crucial for their overall development.

Q: How can I make my child’s application letter stand out to the admissions committee?

Answer : I added a personal touch by sharing a heartfelt story about my child’s kindness and empathy during a community service event, which not only reflects their character but also their potential as a valuable community member at the school.

Q: Can I discuss my child’s academic achievements in the application letter for school admission?

Answer : Yes, I showcased my child’s academic prowess by mentioning their consistent honor roll status and their inquisitive nature in class discussions, which highlights their intellectual capabilities and engagement in learning.

Q: How do I explain the reason for choosing a particular school in the application letter?

Answer : I articulated our family’s decision by explaining how the school’s unique approach to education aligns with my child’s learning style and interests, like their emphasis on experiential learning that suits my child’s hands-on learning preference.

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How to Write the Parent Statement for Private School

Three things you need to know

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Most applications to private schools require parents to write about their children in a parent’s statement or by filling out a questionnaire. The purpose of the parent's letter is to add dimension to the candidate’s statement and help the admissions committee better understand the applicant from the parent’s perspective.

Parent statement is your chance to provide a personal introduction to your child and share details about how your child learns as well as what their interests and strengths are. The following are a few simple steps that will help you write an effective parent letter.

Think About Your Responses

It can be difficult to step back and consider your child objectively, but you need to do exactly that. Think about what your child’s teachers have said over time, particularly the ones who know them well.

Reread report cards and teacher comments. Think about consistent themes that emerge from the reports. Are there comments that teachers have consistently made about how your child learns and acts in school and in extracurricular activities? These comments will be helpful for the admissions committee. 

Consider also your own observations of your child as well as what you hope your child will get out of their private school experience.

Real children aren’t perfect, but they can still be great candidates to private schools. Describe your child accurately and openly. A full, real, and descriptive parent’s statement will show the admissions committee that you are being honest, and when they will read about the amazing sides of your child, they will be more likely to believe them.

If your child has had serious disciplinary actions or other issues in the past, describe them. Let the admissions officers know what happened and draw positive lessons from it. The school is looking for a real kid—not a perfect pupil.

Showing that your child and your family are capable of dealing with setbacks might be even more valuable than presenting a flawless picture. Of course, describe your child’s strengths and don't only feel the need to be negative—but everything you write should be truthful.

Also, helping the committee members understand your child with their strengths and challenges will help them make the best decision for everyone. Your child will be most successful if they attend the school that fits them best , and describing your child candidly will help the admissions committee decide if the school and your child are the best fit for one another. Children who succeed at their schools are happier and healthier and stand in better stead for college admissions.

Consider How Your Child Learns

The parent’s statement is a chance to describe how your child learns so that the admissions committee can decide if they are likely to benefit from being at the school. If your child has moderate to severe learning issues, reveal them. Many private schools grant students with learning issues  accommodations or changes in the curriculum, so that they can best demonstrate what they know.

Students with mild learning issues might be able to wait until they are admitted to the school to ask about the school’s accommodations policy, but students with more severe learning issues should ask about the school’s policies about helping them beforehand. You may also have to do some research into what kind of resources the school offers to help your child—before they attend the school. Being open and honest with the school will help you and your child find the school where they can be happy and successful.

How to Organize Your Letter

Parent statements for private schools are typically composed of three parts: description of your child, description of your family, and the alignment of your values with the school values. The first two or even all three may be blended together, as through descriptions of your child, the nature of your family and your values will come through.

Sometimes, school websites offer useful prompts to guide your letters, and if that is the case, you should definitely make use of them. Some of the frequent questions are:

• What do you hope for your child to accomplish with the help of our school?
• Has your child ever had any intellectual, emotional, or behavioral evaluations? If so, describe their contexts and results.
• In what situations does your child thrive? Describe your child as an individual, with their hopes, values, goals, aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Has your child been through any adversity? Describe the context and how they navigated it.
• What has your role been in your child's education?
• Does your child require any academic or other support or accommodations?

Ideally, your letter would respond to these questions as thoroughly, yet as succinctly as possible.

The simplest way to go about this is to choose three to five aspects of your child's personality that you would like to highlight and compose the statement around them. Include illustrative anecdotes that will also portray a little about your family life. If it comes naturally to you, feel free to make these funny or quirky, as you are ultimately trying to stand out from the rest of the applicants.

As mentioned, you should also make a point of familiarizing yourself with the school's values and objectives and show in your letter how connected these are to your family. The more natural this is the better. All in all, as long as you provide the admission officers with an honest snapshot of your family and your child's nature and potential, your letter will hold its ground.

Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

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How to Write a Successful Parent Statement for Your Child’s Private School Application

The parent statement is an opportunity for you to introduce your child to admissions; to give them a glimpse of who your child is and why they would be a great fit for the institution in question. By the time the admissions committee finishes reading your parent statement, you want them to be clamoring for what your son or daughter can contribute to their community. But how exactly do you do that?

Your top 3 goals when writing a parent statement are to:

1. offer insight into who your child is, what makes them tick, and how they interact with the world around them..

We recommend starting with some freewriting : Sit in front of an open notebook or blank Google Doc and start writing down your first thoughts. Ask yourself: What special qualities does my child have? When have I felt particularly proud of them? How do they approach learning? How do they engage with their peers? Remember, school is as much about soft skills, like conflict resolution and active listening, as it is about mastering the times tables.

2. Provide context regarding your approach to parenting and education.

The admissions committee isn’t just accepting your child, they are accepting you, too, along with any other children you might want to enroll in the future (though this is not a guarantee). Many private schools want to know about parenting styles and academic goals to ensure you will also be a good fit for their community.

3. Be honest and concise in regards to your child’s areas for improvement, as well as their academic goals.

You will not be doing yourself (or your child!) any favors if you dust any major concerns or challenges under the rug. Be upfront. Albert Einstein was a prodigal genius, but he struggled with discipline and authority as a student. Before Robert Frost was a celebrated poet and four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he was expelled from school for constant daydreaming. Bringing admissions into the fold will set your child up for success. And, besides, if the institution isn’t prepared to support and inspire your child, is that really where you want them to spend their formative years?

To really set your parent statement apart from the rest, explore the school’s website and see if you can find their mission statement. Pepper in some of the school’s values (and how they overlap with your own) to demonstrate your interest and fit. 

Finally, we’re always here if you’d like a second opinion from seasoned experts who know the admissions process inside and out. Good luck!

About CEA HQ

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Written by CEA HQ

Category: Admissions , advice , Private School

Tags: aea , parent statement , preschool , preschool admissions , preschool applications , private school , private school admissions , private school applications , the parent statement

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• This statement is not a decree about your success as a parent or as a human being. It is less about you and more about your child. There is no need to go into great detail about your professional success or the impressive degrees you have earned. There will be space for all of that information elsewhere, so don’t try to pack it in here.

• Don’t be afraid to show your child’s vulnerabilities. As amazing as your kiddo might be, every child has his weaknesses. Denying this simply means that you are not being honest about your child’s needs and perhaps why he might be a great fit for a particular school. So think deeply. Perhaps your child is on the shy side and less confident in big groups. Perhaps your child is incredibly curious, but impatient. Perhaps your child is academically sound, but is still grappling in social situations. Or perhaps math and science are your child’s fortes, but you want her to learn to express herself more effectively. Being honest about these facts do not read poorly. In fact, this type of authenticity means that you are introspective and forthcoming.

• Do not list your child’s accomplishments or resume. This certainly would not apply to preschool applications. If you have an older child, try to reign in the listing of accomplishments. Your child will be writing his own personal statement and also giving a list of activities and accomplishments. Reiterating those in the parent statement is simply a waste of space and a lost opportunity. You can use this space to talk about your child’s interests and strengths, especially those that may not get highlighted by your child. Creativity, problem-solving abilities, empathy and loyalty might be characteristics that your child exemplifies in spades. Maybe she connects easily with others or is able to deal with conflict easily. Perhaps she has a love of music and creates or composes her own tunes just for fun. These are all things that make her a whole person, and these schools want to admit real kids.

• Be thorough in your assessment of the school. It is very easy to say, “School X is the best school for my child.” But the admissions office would like more specifics about what you think the school can offer that match well with your child’s needs and aspirations. This is also not a time to reiterate the school’s website or to drop names. And mentioning rank of the school or college placement is just in bad taste. Rather, think deeply about why this school is a great fit. You might want your child to go a school that emphasizes your spiritual values, aligns with your child’s academic interests, or matches your educational philosophy. You might want a school that encourages parental involvement in the community or one where the teachers want to keep the parents out of the classroom. You might consider extracurricular opportunities. Hopefully, you have done your research rather than decided to apply to every school in your area.

While admissions to private schools can be competitive, the parent statement is your chance to make your child’s application stand out. The way to do so is to write a very honest statement about your child and what you are looking for from a given school.

Remember that the ultimate goal is finding the school that is going to best support and nurture your child so he can reach his potential.

Purvi S. Mody is co-owner of Insight Education, an educational consulting firm that helps students throughout the Bay Area to achieve their educational goals. Email her at [email protected] .

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Sample Application Letter for Teacher in Private School

Mrs. Madison B. Llego Principal St. Jerome Academy, Taguig City

Dear Ma’am;

I am writing to inform you of my intent to be a member of your faculty in the coming school year 2019-2019. I was informed by a colleague that you are in need of a MAPEH teacher. Given my tested teaching skills and experience, I know that I am surely qualified for the position.

I have been teaching for two years now and decided to leave my job seeking for a better place of opportunity where I can further develop my skills as an educator and where I can be exposed to more challenging professional atmosphere. Known for your competitiveness and efficacy, I know that your school will provide me the perfect working environment I am seeking for.

I have experienced teaching students in a variety of settings. Working as a MAPEH teacher in the previous private institution I belonged to, I have acquired the ability to challenge and motivate the students in understanding the importance of MAPEH. My willingness and enthusiasm towards teaching will surely help the students of your institution in valuing and practicing the discipline of Music, Arts, P.E. and Health.

Having been a licensed teacher for three years, I realized that they key to being an effective educator is to involve myself to continuous professional development and I believe your institution will surely provide me opportunities to join various teaching training program that will help me develop not just myself but my students.

I have also known that your school also endeavors to have its students engaged in the larger community. Having experienced a lot of community service projects while incorporating service into my classrooms in the previous years, I confidently affirm that I can help the school continue its endeavor.

I would be happy to welcome an interview and I am hoping to hear from you at your earliest convenience. You can find my contact number and other references I the curriculum vitae attached in this letter.

Thank you for considering my application.

Winter Luke Mabag Applicant

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• APPLICATION LETTER FOR TEACHER FRESH GRADUATE
• APPLICATION LETTER FOR TEACHER WITHOUT EXPERIENCE
• LETTER OF INTENT FOR TEACHER’S RANKING
• APPLICATION LETTER FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHER
• SAMPLE LETTER OF INTENT FOR TEACHER APPLICANT
• SAMPLE APPLICATION LETTER FOR SECONDARY TEACHER

Mark Anthony Llego

Mark Anthony Llego, a visionary from the Philippines, founded TeacherPH in October 2014 with a mission to transform the educational landscape. His platform has empowered thousands of Filipino teachers, providing them with crucial resources and a space for meaningful idea exchange, ultimately enhancing their instructional and supervisory capabilities. TeacherPH's influence extends far beyond its origins. Mark's insightful articles on education have garnered international attention, featuring on respected U.S. educational websites. Moreover, his work has become a valuable reference for researchers, contributing to the academic discourse on education.

4 thoughts on “Sample Application Letter for Teacher in Private School”

Very helpful. Thank you so much.

One is already a teacher in that school. He is asked to write a re-application letter.. so. How do one write re-application letter to teach a private JHS school…

THANK YOU FOR THE TEMPLATE

This helped me a lot on how to construct an effective letter for my applying as an educator too! Thank you very much! God Bless you Teachers.

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Sample Application Letter For Teacher In Private School

Mrs. Eunice C. Bato Principal St. Anne’s Academy, Taguig City

Dear Ma’am;

I was informed by a colleague that you are in need of a Science teacher. That is why I am writing to express my hopes to be a member of your faculty in the coming school year 2019-2020. With my tested teaching skills and experience, I believe that I am a potential candidate for the position you need to fill.

I have been teaching for a year now, and I finally decided to transfer to another institution which will offer me a more challenging professional atmosphere where I can further my skills as a teacher. I know that your institution is known for exposing its teachers to wider place of experience where they can compete healthily and sharpen their confidence in performing better in the field of education. Known for your competitiveness and efficacy, I know that your school will provide me with the perfect working environment I am seeking for.

My one year of experience in a private institution where I belonged to let me experience teaching student with diverse needs and abilities. Working as a Science teacher made me acquire the ability to challenge and motivate the students in understanding the importance of Science. My willingness and enthusiasm towards teaching will surely help the students of your institution in valuing and practicing Science.

Having been a licensed teacher for a year, I realized that the key to being an effective educator is to involve myself to continuous professional development and I believe your institution will undoubtedly provide me opportunities to join a various teaching training program that will help me develop not just myself but my students.

I have also known that your school also endeavors to have its students engaged in the broader community. Having experienced a lot of community service projects while incorporating service into my classrooms in the previous years, I confidently affirm that I can help the school continue its endeavor.

I would be happy to welcome an interview, and I am hoping to hear from you at your earliest convenience. You can find my contact number and other references in the resume attached in this letter.

I am looking forward to your favorable response.

Aaliyah L. Magdaong Applicant

• 2019 DEPED ONLINE APPLICATION AND HIRING PROCESS
• Sample Application Letter for DepEd Elementary Teacher
• Sample Application Letter For Teacher Without Experience
• Sample Application Letter for Teacher Fresh Graduate
• Sample Letter of Intent For DepEd Teacher Applicant
• Sample Application Letter for Secondary Teacher
• Sample Letter of Intent for DepEd Teacher’s Ranking

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Sample Private School Parent Statement for Younger Children

We’ve helped hundreds of families navigate the admissions process, and we know that parent statements can be one of the most confusing parts of the journey. How can you possibly sum up your child in a few paragraphs? 

Parent statements can be even more of a challenge for younger children. With fewer academic and extracurricular milestones to include in an essay, parents have to spend more time describing their family life and their child’s unique spirit, which can be tricky to capture in words. 

 We’ve found that one of the most helpful ways for parents to conceptualize their own parent statement is to read a sample essay. Here’s a sample parent statement for younger children that does a great job of summing up the child’s personality, and the entire family’s approach to learning and development. 

*Note that this is a fictional parent statement describing a fictional student. 

Sample Parent Statement for Nursery or Elementary Applicants

Prompt: what would you like us to know about your child .

Ever since she was a baby, Christina has been quiet and contemplative. She is constantly observing any and everything about the world around her, forming her own theories about the way things work and constantly surprising us with the depth of what she notices. We can’t wait to witness how the school environment satiates Christina’s immense curiosity. 

Christina has always been intently focused on taking in information about the world around her. Even as an infant in the crib, Christina’s eyes would follow us everywhere as we moved around her room. Her brow would furrow if we did something new, like rearranging the furniture, and we could see her gears turning as her worldview continued to expand. Now as a toddler, Christina is no different. She has a remarkable ability to keep herself entertained, sitting quietly and watching the world move around her. Later on, at the most random of moments, she’ll bring up something specific that she observed (“Why didn’t Aunt Kate have the same drink as everyone else?” when she was pregnant and wasn’t drinking a beer with the rest of the adults), and we’ll realize how deeply she thinks about the world around her. 

It’s no surprise that for a mind like Christina’s, books are incredible. Reading with one or both of her parents has been Christina’s favorite activity since she was a baby; we make time at least once per day to read for 30 minutes. Christina rapidly processes new pictures, characters, and storylines. She quietly follows along as we read through a story, eyes scanning each page, then usually has several questions at the end of the story: why did a character do this, what will happen next, etc. We’re frequently surprised by the depth of her inquiries, and it’s not uncommon for storytime to spark deep conversations about family, purpose, death, and more. 

Christina’s quiet, thoughtful temperament is incredibly endearing. However, we worry sometimes that she isn’t quite as extroverted as some other young children; Christina prefers to fully evaluate a situation with new people (children or adults) before deciding how to take part. We think that a supportive kindergarten environment will help Christina grow into more of a social butterfly; new friendships and new experiences will help her find a balance between her inquisitive nature and a desire to connect and have fun with other kids.

As parents, we do everything we can to nurture Christina’s passion for exploring and understanding the world. We strive to speak to Christina like she’s an adult, answering her questions as best we can and treating her like a fully present member of the family. We do our best to provide Christina with opportunities to grow and learn more; a short science camp this summer opened Christina up to a whole new world of interesting phenomena, and introduced her to other children who like asking questions. We know that Christina will be an avid student once she begins attending school full-time; we’re sure that her teachers will enjoy the intensely deep questions that come out of nowhere, and appreciate Christina’s dedication to finding and understanding the answer. 

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3 Tips for Writing Your Child's Private School Application Essay

How to harness the power of storytelling.

By Soojung Smith

Published on: october 30, 2017.

It’s that time of year again: the busy admissions season for private and independent K–12 schools. Keeping track of each school's open houses, campus tours, parent and student interview dates and test requirements can feel like a full-time job. 

Each year, more families are considering private schools for their children and competition for top private schools in the greater Seattle area has become increasingly fierce. Some elite private schools admit fewer than 10 percent of their applicants from a highly qualified candidate pool. High standardized test (SSAT and ISEE) scores and GPAs alone, unfortunately, don’t guarantee a spot at these coveted schools. They're interested in forming a diverse and well-rounded student body that delves beyond students’ test scores and grades.

Some elite private schools admit fewer than 10 percent of their applicants.

One of the biggest mistakes I've seen families make in preparing their child’s applications for admission is to treat the information they submit as separate data points. Rather than painting a complete picture of their student, parent and student essays often read like a student activity form.

To give your child the best chance of success, it's important to be intentional and thoughtful about your child’s application. Remember that admission committees are interested in learning about your child and what your family can offer, and how you will contribute to their schools and school communities.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your child's private school application.

Know what it is you want to say about your child and your family: What are the key messages you want to convey?  

• Think about how you and others see your child. You as parents? Grandparents? Their siblings? How would their friends describe them? Teachers? Neighbors?
• What keywords begin to emerge? Kind? Mature? Creative? Curious? Inventive? A maker? A leader?
• Choose three to five themes that best capture core identities of your child.
• Use your child’s essential qualities, be it their achievements, unique experiences, activities or interests to make the connection to these themes.
• Once themes emerge, look broadly and creatively at parent and student essays, activity profile, teacher recommendations, and other application elements for opportunities to weave these ideas together for differentiation.

Start working on essays and other application elements

• Typically, families apply for three to five schools and, depending upon schools under consideration, you may end up with writing not only a common set of essays but also other unique ones they require from applicants and their families.
• These requirements all add up, expecting a significant amount of time and efforts on your and your child’s end. Good writing is a process; it doesn’t happen overnight. Be prepared to go through three rounds of drafts of parent and student essays to get to final “quality” ones you and your student feel proud of. Try to have solid first drafts by the end of October, the second one by the end of November and the final draft by the end of December.   
• Make sure you write parent essays while your child writes their student essays. You can lend help to your child, but they need to provide original and thoughtful answers in their portion of the applications as well as during interviews. Schools can tell if a parent writes student essays and even go so far as to collect writing samples.

Use essays and other application elements for effective storytelling

• Use a parent statement, student essays and an extracurricular activity profile to let the reader in: Who is your child? What do they care most? Who is their hero? Why? How do these insights connect with other information you are submitting about your child and your family? Is there a particular story(ies) that helps to describe your child and your family best?
• Distill the story that defines your child and your family in the space provided in online applications before the deadline for completed applications. Each essay question has a specific word count you can’t exceed, so be mindful of how you will use precious real estate to convey main messages for differentiation.

Effective storytelling alone won’t necessarily put your child over the top if they aren't already a competitive candidate. But it goes hand-in-hand with solid standardized test scores and GPAs for robust applications. Let schools know how unique your child and your family are. Let them know how your child and family will contribute to a diverse student body. Good luck!

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Related Topics

• Private School

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About the author.

Soojung Smith is a family education coach, author, CEO and board advisor, and former Microsoft marketing executive. Her children attend two private schools on the Eastside. Soojung supports parents with challenging issues such as private school vs. public school, private school admissions, and students’ executive functioning skills and their public speaking competencies. Email Soojung at  [email protected] .

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Parent Statements

Best parent statement tips for private school admissions.

CONTACT US TODAY

Most private schools require parents to answer prompts or fill in a questionnaire about their child. The parent statement is an introduction to your child taken from your perspective as a parent. The main idea is to provide a written statement about your child’s personality, interests, and strengths. 

With two decades of experience in private school admissions , our educational consultants have deep knowledge of how to write parent statements for private schools that would differentiate your child. This guide outlines a list of tips that will prevent you from making common mistakes in the Parent Statement section of school applications. 

• Begin the writing process well in advance. Many families underestimate the time and thought it takes to complete parent statements and puts it off until the last minute. We recommend writing several drafts until you feel confident that you’ve provided all the necessary information.
• Research the school extensively. Admissions officers are looking for students who will be a good fit, so make sure to research and learn about the differentiating values of each school. Explain clearly how your child will be a good fit and an asset to the school.
• Be specific. Answer the questions clearly and be honest with your statements. Although you might want to impress the admissions officers by putting in a lot of information, they are only interested in things that matter.
• Be objective and honest. The purpose of the parent statement is for admissions officers to gain insight into your child from your perspective. Don’t be afraid to mention your child’s weaknesses.  

As experts in private school admissions, we know what you should and should not include in your parent statements. Parents who come to us for help are surprised that writing parent statements is not as easy as it seems. They recognize the importance of seeking professional help when they learn that their statements can ruin their child’s chances of admission.

Why are parent statements important?

Parent statements are important because admissions officers need to know about your child’s personality and determine if they are a good fit for the school. They would also want to know about the dynamics of your family. How supportive are you as parents in helping your child become successful? What are your goals as a family? Do your values align with those of the school? 

How long are parent statements?

Each school will have its own requirements but typically, parent statements are 500 – 1500 characters long. It is important to keep to the maximum requirement because admissions officers will not be interested to read very long paragraphs especially if the first sentences are not interesting enough.

How do I make my parent statement interesting?

A well-written parent statement is one that not only showcases your child’s positive attributes but is also compelling enough for admissions officers to read from start to finish. Write anecdotes instead of just plain narratives that describe your child because everybody loves reading stories. Read different parent statement examples to get ideas on how to write parent statements that are interesting. 

Do I need help in writing my parent statement?

Yes, especially if you are not a strong writer. You may know your child well but if you cannot write about their strengths, weaknesses, and goals, you might lose your chances of admission. Contact us to learn more about our writing program. 

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Writing the Parent Statement for Private School

If your child is applying to private schools, you may be compelled to write a parent statement. Writing the parent statement helps private schools understand your child on a deeper level. It helps the admissions officers better articulate why your child would be a great fit for the school.

However, many parents don’t edit and revise their parent statements properly. This can cost your child’s acceptance into their desired private school —thus, compromising their acceptance into university.

Here at PenningPapers, we’ve compiled some of the most important elements of writing the parent statement for private schools.

Table of Contents

Should I Have Someone Edit my Parent Statement?

Deconstruct your child’s characteristics., keep your writing organized., honesty is the best policy., structuring the parent statement, final thoughts.

Professional College Application Help.

Contact us. we'll get to you within 24 hours. .

When writing the parent statement for private school applications, it’s crucial to get your work professionally edited. Preferably, you’d have an admissions expert work with you . However, it’s entirely possible to solo the parent statement and write it on your own. It’s just not recommended.

Having a professional college admissions advisor work with you on the parent statement is crucial since they can often see mistakes in your parent statement that other editors and peers cannot see.

Having someone edit your parent statement is a safer and more conservative approach to the application process. The advantages gifted to students who attend an elite private school, especially the ones granted during the college admissions process, are not to be scoffed at. There is a lot at stake. So, being extra careful by ensuring an expert can review your child’s private school application is your best bet.

How to Describe Your Child for Private School Admission.

When writing the parent statement for private school applications, it’s easy to glamorize your child by impulse. Before you get too excited, it’s crucial that you take a strong, hard look at your children and deconstruct their characteristics at the micro level.

This means really looking back at some of their marks, their strengths, their weaknesses, and what their teachers had to say about them. Does your child seem to do particularly well with writing and literary articulation? Does your child excel in Mathematics and have a specific interest in the hard STEM fields? Do your child’s teachers give them particular compliments that seem to have a theme to them?

Catching the patterns and overall themes behind your child’s experience and performance is crucial to writing the parent statement. Private schools want to know not just the superficial, surface-level qualities that make your student a great fit for their school. They also want to know the more in-depth qualities that constitute your child’s unique makeup.

In addition, your perspective as a parent can provide powerful insight that is otherwise not obvious from metrics like test scores and grades.

Here’s an example of what writing the parent statement ideas would look like.

Maybe you have a student who is very interested in Robotics and has a love for making their designs come to life. If you deconstruct some of the qualities in your child, you may discover that they are not only interested in Robotics, but they also have the following traits.

• They like to juggle multiple projects.
• They have an insatiable curiosity.
• They love to do things unconventionally.
• They want to make things work to solve problems.

As a parent, you may also see a side of them that most teachers and peers do not see. Perhaps you notice that your child is also hyper orderly because they use coasters beneath their drinks and make sure all items in their room are organized “just right”. This combined with observations 1-4 may make your child the perfect candidate for a future developer in the world of Robotics.

Their orderly temperament, insatiable curiosity, learning mindset, and their need to go against the grain show that they are someone capable of managing disorder but also straying from convention enough that they can innovate. Thus, their talents would best suit the private school they’re applying for to actualize their potential.

It’s common for parents to get overjoyed and excited about their children applying to private schools. However, it’s also more common for this excitement to compromise the organization and sentence flow of the parent statement.

The parent statement can be quite difficult to write because organizing your thoughts is especially hard. Keeping all the great traits your child has under the word count is brutal, and it means often biting more than you can chew.

If your parent statement comes out as a garbled mess, it can be quite difficult for admissions officers to follow through or even believe what you say about your child. Although you as a parent are older and much more experienced with writing than your child is, we’ve seen plenty of parent statements that were disorganized. So, write with a careful hand and keep your ideas nice and tidy! One thing you can do is write out all the ideas you have in your mind on a separate google document. Then, color code each idea and expand on them in the parent statement. Write the whole parent statement as if there were no word count. From there, you can minimize the word count to fit the limit. Color coding and reducing the word count in this order help burn off all the deadwood when writing the parent statement.

Really. Be honest.

We’ve had many parents come to us asking whether or not they should tell the truth when writing the parent statement for private schools. Generally speaking, there is nothing positive that can come out of lying in the parent statement.

Admissions officers read through hundreds of applications. They have the experience it takes to see through lies. A genuine parent statement that is truthful and fully open demonstrates your character as well. If you can be honest about your child, that shines brightly on them and demonstrates to admissions officers that they are under your proper tutelage and care. If you’re dishonest, it shows quite the opposite and reflects poorly on them.

Okay, so what happens if your child suffered a disciplinary issue or had a stain on their record?

Take a step back from the admissions strategy perspective. Instead, think about what most children behave like before the age of 18. You can apply this to a private school setting and a regular public one.

They’re chaotic. Most if not all of them are in a constant state of entropy. That’s what children are like. That’s what teenagers are like. Even a good handful of young adults would have had some level of social engagement that was cringe or less than proper.

Admissions officers are fully aware of this. So, when you say that your child is completely perfect and can never do any wrong, what happens? They don’t believe you.

Instead, if your child has gone through some disciplinary action, be honest and forthright about it. Be truthful and demonstrate how your child has grown over time and can develop the maturity needed to succeed and belong in a private school setting.

This is especially crucial. Admissions officers at private schools are not just looking for academic performance and future academic success. They’re also looking for the kind of temperament that would bring a positive environment to the school.

When writing the parent statement, it is crucial to make the structure well put together and properly oriented. This means separating the paragraphs instead of having all ideas put together into one large block of text.

Most parent statements will require you to answer a set of questions that are already predetermined. More often than not, you’ll be asked to describe your child’s personality traits, what your family is like, and how you and your child will be a positive contribution and fit for the school and its values. These can be phrased differently and vary depending on the private school you’re applying for. But, the principles generally still stand.

We would recommend dedicating a paragraph to each point. However, you can segregate your paragraphs however you please so long as the flow is easy to reach and not choppy.

Don’t forget to answer the question concisely. This means that short and sweet is paramount. But, don’t be afraid to diversify the lengths of your sentences and the usage of punctuation. Sentences without commas, semicolons, and other punctuation forms make the parent statement stale.

One of the most common mistakes parents make when writing the parent statement for private school applications is lacking transparency. This is often due to parents fearing that their openness would give fodder for admissions officers to reject their child.

More often than not, this is not the case. Instead, it is the lack of openness that makes the parent statement less impressive than ones that know how to open up. If you consider elements such as your child’s temperament, their style of learning, their ability to connect with others, and any other relevant attributes, you’ll realize that your child is not perfect. There are flaws and there are strengths.

It’s up to you as a parent to write the most accurate representation of your child with both flaws and strengths. It must be done properly, and it must be done with a careful hand. This is what makes the perfect parent statement that truly impresses admissions officers instead of the banal and superficial ones they are often flooded with.

If you don’t know how to write the parent statement in full transparency, or are just struggling with writing the parent statement in general, feel free to contact us for a free consultation. Here at PenningPapers, we’ve helped countless parents get their students accepted into some of the best private schools in the nation.

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Apply To Private Schools With the Standard Application Online

The Standard Application Online (SAO) is the most efficient way to apply to 400 private schools. Take comfort in knowing that  schools give SAO applications equal priority . Save yourself the time and frustration of poring over multiple application forms and essays by applying with the most-used common private school application today!

SAO by the numbers

How does the sao work.

The SAO is your best option for submitting private school applications for students entering prekindergarten through grade 12 and post graduate. It works by standardizing all necessary forms and documentation from teacher recommendations to student essays into one simple online application. Schools that accept the SAO do so because they genuinely care about your experience applying to their school.

Account Creation

Get started today by creating an account in our family portal. You can also use your account to access the SSAT and the Character Skills Snapshot .

Family Profile

The SAO easily handles multi-household families, letting schools know whom to contact and where to send their materials.

Interests and Achievements

Help schools get to know your child by submitting interests and academic or personal achievements. Even upload multimedia links such as YouTube channels or blog pages to highlight athletic, art, or writing abilities.

Required Documentation

Add parent statements, student essays, recommendations, and transcripts once and seamlessly submit them to all schools to which you apply. School-specific instructions and supplemental forms are clearly indicated.

Recommendation & Transcript Requests

Make recommendation requests and track submissions through the SAO. Likewise, request transcripts from school administrators by officially signing release forms through the system.

Standardized Test Results

Track individual school requirements for the SSAT and the Character Skills Snapshot, and individually release scores and results to each school.

Financial Aid

Financial aid applications are managed separately through each school; however, you indicate whether your family intends to apply for tuition assistance on the SAO.

All-in-One Dashboard

Track individual school deadlines and the completion of all SAO applications through one convenient dashboard!

Family Support

Have a question or hit a snag? No problem! Quickly access FAQ answers in our Help Center, or contact our friendly Support team for more detailed questions.

School Participation

Participating schools give SAO submissions equal consideration as those submitted through the school’s website. In many cases, schools have integrated the SAO with their website's application.

Application Fees

All school application fees are charged through the SAO, and the SAO processing fee is only $10 per application. Families that receive an application fee waiver from the school won’t incur either charge.

Let's Talk About Interviewing

Want the inside scoop on admissions interviews for private schools? Listen to Kila McCann from The Bolles School and Lisa Pelrine from Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall discuss what they look for from students along with their advice for families going through the interview process.

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What our schools are saying.

"We know that many families find the school application process complex and daunting...The SAO is a rich application platform that is both family friendly and provides admission officers with ample information on each applicant.”

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Middlesex (MA)

"At a time when we are trying to reduce barriers, create access, and alleviate unnecessary stress on families, the value of the SAO has never been more evident."

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One application, over 400 participating schools! Start saving time today with the SAO.

Private School Teacher Cover Letter Example

When you are applying for a Private School Teacher role, you should write and present all information to gain maximum advantage on the professional front. In this present digital and challenging employment work, employers never have a shortage of employees, hence it is your responsibility to ensure that you fall into the eyes of the employer in all possible ways. And this can be done using your cover letter. A good cover letter has the potential to pull the employer to scrutinize your application and make you call for the next level of interview.

Private School Teachers work with children in a private school setting, and provide education and train the students in assigned areas or subjects. When you are planning to apply for this profession, check our Private School Teacher Cover Letter Samples which would help you to understand what to write and what to cover in your cover letter.

• Cover Letters

The primary duty of a Private School Teacher is to conduct classes and maintain a well-disciplined classroom. These teaching professionals evaluate the performance of each student and monitor the academic progress of the class. Other crucial duties include – teaching assigned subjects, conducting tests, and evaluating the performance of each student, participating in group discussions, and extracurricular activities.

What to Include in a Private School Teacher Cover Letter?

Roles and responsibilities.

• Developing, and submitting educational content including notes, tests, and assignments.
• Organizing supplies and resources for lectures and presentations.
• Supervising classes and ensuring all students get to learn in a safe and productive atmosphere.
• Planning and implementing educational activities and events.
• Ensuring the classroom is clean and orderly.
• Preparing and distributing periodic progress reports, and semester report cards.
• Allocating and grading tests, and home assignments.
• Assisting students in project completion, and workshop activities.

Education & Skills

Private school teacher skills:.

• The ability to develop lesson plans, and instruct the class in theories, and methods.
• Knowledge of learning psychology, styles, and strategies.
• Proficient and active listening skills to understand and adapt to student’s learning needs.
• Strong public speaking skills.
• Oral presentation skills.
• Advanced technology skills to track student attendance and grades and present creative lessons.
• Leadership skills and patience to work with students of all grades.

Private School Teacher Education Requirements:

• Graduation from a University or college with a degree in a discipline related to the teaching field.
• Teaching certification or licensure.

Private School Teacher Cover Letter Example (Text Version)

Dear Mr./Ms.

Upon reading the advertisement for the job opening of Private School Teacher with your ***, I felt elated to roll my candidacy forward for the same. Throughout my career, I have been involved in the development of instructional materials, and classroom schedules, and also have a great combination of effective communication skills that enables me to work in a fast-paced environment. Hence, I feel I am a suitable candidate for this vacancy.

I particularly appreciate *** for giving the freedom to its teachers to take initiative in devising and implementing improvements in the curriculum structure, and I excel in this field, and my resume details the reasons for it.

Outlining my key contributions to the current school –

• Devising and implementing engaging and interesting lesson plans.
• Preparing and delivering lectures to students.
• The ability to motivate and explore all areas of learning in exciting and innovative ways.
• Firm understanding of preteen behavior and patience to deal with hard/difficult student.
• The ability to concentrate and motivate student’s academic and extra-curricular activities.
• Earned “Best Teacher of the Year” award for championing the implementation of cloud-based education page management systems for teachers, students, and parents, which was regarded as highly useful mainly during the Pandemic period.
• Thrive to continuous education through building theoretical and practical knowledge by attending regular conferences, workshops, and courses.

I have enjoyed working for the **** and now want to contribute my share of knowledge to ***. I now seek an equally-simulating opportunity at your esteemed school where I can make a meaningful impact. Please find my enclosed resume for your consideration.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Now that you have decided to write your cover letter for the Private School Teacher role, have a look at our key takeaways –

• Use the cover letter to create that first best impression with your hiring manager, and the best way to do so is to describe your background and skills that closely match the hiring company’s requirements.
• Format correctly – The cover letter should include your full contact details, appropriate salutations, an intro paragraph, second para that not only outlines your qualifications but also sells it; and a closing note thanking the reader for his/her time
• Proofread the cover letter before submission – your cover letter is going to be read by the School Principal, or a professional HR, so it would not give a good impression if your document has grammatical errors, typos, or misspellings.

You can also use our Private School Teacher Resume Samples as a model to create your Resume!

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Parent Statements For Private High School Admissions

Christopher Coleman

December 2, 2020

When writing Parent Statements for private high school admissions, you must remember : you’re not writing your child’s resumé. For the purposes of this article, pretend that you are no longer a parent of a boarding school applicant. Instead, you are a boarding school admissions officer. Your job is to review applications and identify the applicants that are the best fit for your school from a large applicant pool. As a boarding school admission officer, you will read each page of every single admission application, which is standard operating procedure. 

In reviewing admission applications, you will read Parent Statements for private high school admissions . They will, hopefully, provide you with further information about the applicant. See, teacher recommendations primarily describe an applicant from an academic perspective. Transcripts will paint the picture of how much care the applicant puts into his or her studies. An activity list will explain how the applicant spends time outside of the classroom. What completes the applicant’s profile is information about them from the parents’ perspective, a unique vantage point that can provide very important information…or not.

As an admissions officer, Parent Statements can influence you in one of three ways: excite you, frustrate or bore you, or make little impression on you at all. 

What Should Entail Parent Statements for Private High School Admissions?

For whatever it’s worth, I am the parent of a child who is both a boarding school graduate and a college graduate. I have experienced both sides of the admission process, so I know the position in which you are in currently. 

Now, you might be thinking, “How can Parent Statements be anything but helpful and wonderful as they are written by kind, caring, and loving parents who only seek to support their children’s candidacies, Christopher?” In composing Parent Statements for private high school admissions , the writers  are only being, well, parents. More often than not, though, a parent’s point of view might come off as too promotional or lacking in objective insights. Translation: parents embody the statement made famous by Malcom X in that they wish to help their children gain admission to a school “by any means necessary,” touting their child as the second coming of Marie Curie, Serena Williams, or Stephen King. In reality, even though they are written with good intentions, these types of Parent Statements hurt their child’s application the most.

Let’s be honest. Parent Statements rarely make or break the success or failure of an admission application. Only in very rare cases has an applicant been accepted or denied admission solely based on the weight of a Parent Statement. So, it is best for parents to provide honest and objective information that will determine what kind of impact your child could make if he or she were to join that school’s community. 

Examples of Parent Statements

With that said, we’ll use the prompt and Parent Statement copied below as a sample for what ingredients should go into successful Parent Statements for private high school admissions .

Prompt: Please share with us the values you've instilled in your child and how our community might benefit from those values/lessons.

Response: We’ve taught our son Jimmy the value of volunteering and that not only does it benefit others, but that volunteering can also be a benefit to himself. Following our suggestion, Jimmy chose to volunteer on Saturdays at our neighborhood’s community center. He tutors younger kids in math and science. While the community center director has explained to my husband and me that Jimmy seems to be in a “happy place” whenever he tutors. The director also pointed out that Jimmy has a lot of fun interacting with the other children. My husband and I also noticed an increase in Jimmy’s grades since he started volunteering. You know what they say, the best way to learn is to teach.

Even more, Jimmy has also found that helping others is a practical way to further his own interests. During summer break, Jimmy loves to go fishing, but knows that he cannot go to the lake behind our house without being accompanied by an adult. My husband and I work during the day Monday through Friday and have lots of chores and errands on the weekends. So in previous summers, we have not had much time to take Jimmy fishing. To solve this issue, Jimmy taught his grandmother how to fish and goes fishing with her almost every day!

Experiencing firsthand the benefits of helping out others has made a positive impact on Jimmy’s life. My husband and I believe that as a student at your school, Jimmy would be likely to join or supervise a community service project or choose to become a peer tutor.  

Assessing the Example

Using the above example, here is how you, as an admission officer, should assess it:

• Clean writing. There are no spelling or grammar errors and the sentences should flow together. You should expect to compose several drafts for each of your Parent Statements. Take the time in between each draft so that you read each draft with a fresh perspective. 
• Answer the prompt. In directly answering the prompt, the Parent Statement provided a load of information about Jimmy. It pays for parents to brainstorm their child’s positive personality traits prior to responding to each prompt. These descriptors can act as a guide and give direction to the answer.
• No GPAs or academic accolades were found in this response.   I understand being proud of a child’s academic performance as a parent. However, the admissions officer will gain an understanding of that through academic transcripts and recommendations. Your job is to give further perspective on your child. Jimmy’s grades improved as a result of his behavior, but the grades themselves were not included.
• Tell a story…but not a novel. First and foremost, everyone likes a good story. Why do you think we watch movies and read books? The above example provides insight into Jimmy’s personality and his character. His academics have improved since becoming a tutor. He derives joy from helping and interacting with other children. He likes to fish. His family has set rules that Jimmy follows. One also learns that Jimmy is a problem-solver and has a positive relationship with family members from older generations. Lastly, by teaching his grandmother to fish, he now can participate in an activity he enjoys. The implication in all of this is that, if accepted, these are the qualities that Jimmy has to offer any school.
• Parent Statements do not have to be as dry as legal documents or tax forms or be as tedious to read as assembly directions for an Ikea dresser. Adding interesting details or humor to a Parent Statement will benefit its readability.
• Imagine a stack of Parent Statements stretching from your living room’s floor to its ceiling. As you are still reading this article, you are still an admissions officer. If your school requires each applicant’s parents to write five Parent Statements and during the course of an admission cycle you need to read 853 or more admission applications, you might just end up reading thousands of Parent Statements. From that perspective, you become quite eager to read Parent Statements that neither bore you, are majorly hyperbolic nor leave you with little to no insights into the applicant.

I hope that this blog has provided you with the basics towards building great Parents Statements for private high school admissions . When writing them, remember to think like an admission officer and not as a parent. If you were reviewing an admission application, what kind of Parent Statements would you find enjoyable to read and most insightful into an applicant’s personality? Did the Parent Statement you wrote meet those two criteria?

My best advice to you: Parent Statements are only meant to tell the parents’ side of a child’s story, not all of it. Put the care and attention into telling your side of your child’s story and do it well, leaving a positive impression.

Tags : boarding school admissions , private high school admissions , parent essays , how to write parent essays , Parent Statements for private high school admissions

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Admissions - The Acceptance Letter

The final step in the process of choosing a private school is dealing with the acceptance letter. These letters are typically mailed in mid-March for schools which have a January 31 (or thereabouts) deadline for applications. If the school has rolling admissions, you will receive your acceptance letter or an offer of a place at the school once your admissions file is completed and a decision has been made.

What to do if you have been accepted by your first choice school

First of all, congratulations! You did it! Next step: read the letter carefully and reply before the deadline. If you don't accept the offer of a place by the deadline, the school will give your place to one of the applicants on their waitlist. If you have questions or need more information, contact the school without delay. Schools will give you a date by which you must accept or refuse the offer of admission. Acceptance requires the return of the acceptance forms together with payment of a deposit for next year's tuition. That usually amounts to 10% of the fees. So, for example, if next year's tuition is $25,000, you will need to return the acceptance forms with a payment of $2,500. If you applied for financial aid, you will also receive a letter detailing the terms of your financial aid package.

Educational consultant Ann Dolin explains how admissions works.

If you have been accepted by several schools

That's a wonderful outcome to your private school search process. Review the acceptances with your son or daughter and go with the school which is the best fit. The goal always is to find a school where your child will be happy. Schools will give you a date by which you must accept or refuse the offer of admission. Observe those deadlines scrupulously.

Remember that your acceptance requires the return of the acceptance forms together with payment of a deposit for next year's tuition.As noted above, that is usually 10% of the fees. If you applied for financial aid, you will also have received a letter detailing the terms of your financial aid package.

It is very important to read all the materials which the schools send you and deal with them immediately. You have a limited window of opportunity in which to respond. If, for some reason, you do not reply to the acceptance letter, the school will most likely give away your child's place.

What if the financial aid package is not enough?

It is possible that the financial aid award letter will contain some perplexing news. You may have required $15,000 in aid and the school is only offering $10,000. What are your options? Discuss your situation with the school. A full and frank discussion of the matter will be the first step to finding a solution. Don't delay. And don't be embarrassed about asking for more help especially if your circumstances have changed since you filed your financial aid forms.

If you were rejected

The rejection letter will be just that. The envelope from the school will be disappointingly thin. The school will inform you politely that you didn't make it. There is no recourse . Now, if all the schools to which you applied rejected you, that's a different matter. I recommend that you then start looking for schools with rolling admissions which have places. Again, time is of the essence. Don't delay.

This video explains how to handle being rejected.

If you were waitlisted

It's possible that the school thought you were a good fit but just not quite good enough to make the first cut of acceptances. But they aren't sure whether everybody they accepted will actually decide to attend their school. So what they do then is to put qualified applicants on a waitlist. The way that works is that sometime in April after the school finds out who is coming and who is not, they will then offer places to applicants they have on their waitlist. Basically the school is hedging its bets.

What should you do? Discuss your options with your educational consultant. It might make sense to accept one of the other offers you have. The downside to that is that if the school where you are waitlisted finally does offer you a place, you will forfeit the deposit already paid to the school you were not waitlisted at.

Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @privateschoolreview

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Applying to Independent and Private Schools: Advice from Students

Whether you’re an eager student or an anxious parent, we know just how intimidating applying to independent and private schools can be. Our Director of Placement, Laurie Geromini, sat down with two students who recently completed the process to learn more about their experiences, as well as the lessons and tips they learned along the way. Check out what advice they have for other students who are going through the process this year. 

Meet the Students

Laurie spoke with Ajay and Sofia, two bright students who applied to 9th grade. While much of the application work happened in the fall of their 8th grade year, Ajay and Sofia both started the process in the spring of 7th grade. They worked with Laurie, who guided them throughout the process as their admissions coach. 

After a lot of hard work and dedication, they were accepted to two fantastic schools. Ajay is attending Phillips Exeter Academy, and Sofia is attending St. Paul’s School. 

Keep reading to learn about Ajay’s and Sofia’s experiences with the application process!

Tell us about your experience applying to independent schools.

Ajay explained that schools like Phillips Exeter Academy and Phillips Academy Andover were always at the top of his list. After visiting the two schools in person over spring break and talking to current students and faculty, Ajay not only felt confident in his decision to apply to these schools, but was inspired to research other boarding schools to add to his list of options. 

Sofia, on the other hand, visited seven boarding schools in person before deciding on her final application list. She set aside ample time to research schools and meet with staff and faculty to figure out where she might be the most comfortable. In the end, Sofia only applied to four schools, but she felt confident knowing that she had done her research and selected the best schools for her.

What did the interview process look like for you?

Ajay spent a lot of time practicing for his interviews with both his parents and Laurie. His first two interviews were held virtually, and he noted that this helped him gain confidence for the in-person interviews he had later on. Ajay advised other students to not script their answers, but rather to have a general idea of what they’d like to say in response to a given topic. This will help students’ answers be more authentic in their interviews.

Sofia practiced interview questions with her parents any chance she could, including in the car on the way to school, and she was very grateful for their feedback. A challenge for her was sounding too stiff or scripted, so practicing aloud with her parents helped her gain experience and with that confidence in her interviewing abilities.

What advice do you have for the interview?

Ajay said that practicing with his parents and Laurie ahead of time was tremendously helpful in calming his nerves. Even though he wasn’t attending his interviews with a specific script in mind, he had a general idea of what he wanted to say in response to a wide range of questions. Ajay said that practicing for the interviews also allowed him to speak more fluently, with less pauses, breaks, and filler words. For virtual interviews, he warned students to not allow themselves to relax too much just because they aren’t physically sitting in front of the interviewer. You still want to make a good impression!

Sofia encouraged students to spend ample time talking both about their academics and their personal interests. She also recommended that students prepare as much as possible before the interview with flashcards and sample questions to help them speak more confidently. Sofia recalled a specific piece of advice from Laurie after noting the difference between a 7 minute interview and a 35 minute interview that she had: “The longer they keep you in there, the better.” 

Laurie also noted the importance of showing up to your interviews with questions of your own. Interviews are as much of an opportunity for you to get to know the school as it is for them to get to know you!

What advice do you have for students who are going through the admissions process?

Ajay stressed the importance of attending the admissions events that are hosted by the schools that you’re applying to, such as open houses. Ajay explained that he attended a local event that allowed students to meet and introduce themselves to the admissions officers for multiple independent and private schools. He was able to ask questions about their programs and get additional information on what life might be like at each school.

Sofia explained that it’s important to meet and express your interest to as many people as possible. After attending a few events in her city, Sofia was approached by the dean of admissions at one of the schools on her list. The dean already knew her name and was incredibly excited to meet her. Sofia explained that you can never start building your bridges too early. She also stressed the importance of staying organized by creating some sort of document or filing system that allows you to keep track of where you are in the process to prevent anxiety and being overwhelmed down the road.

Did you take the ISEE or the SSAT?

The majority of independent and private schools require their applicants to take a standardized test like the ISEE and SSAT. Ajay decided to take the SSAT. He explained that he utilized the Test Innovators platform to practice. Ajay found the verbal section and the essay to be the most difficult sections on the test due to the time constraints. He explained that he and his dad created multiple flashcard sets to practice vocabulary whenever they had a free minute. Ajay also grew his confidence with the essay by practicing writing under a time limit, allowing him to get used to the time he had on the real exam. 

Sofia also took the SSAT. She explained that she treated the first test like a benchmark, a jumping off point to see which subject areas she needed to focus on improving the most. Similar to Ajay, Sofia struggled the most with the verbal section, and noted that flashcards were really helpful not only for learning vocabulary but also for studying for all sections of the test. Sofia also found it challenging to work with the time limitations that come with each section of the SSAT but felt less nervous the more she practiced.

Did you submit any additional materials with your applications?

Ajay is passionate about singing, so he submitted a voice sample with his applications. He also requested personal recommendations from his choir teacher and his academic competition coach. Sofia explained that one school requested she submit a recorded monologue because of her interest in their theater program. Both students felt that these additional submissions allowed them to present themselves more accurately to the schools that they were applying to, ultimately leading to them finding their best fit. 

What was the most challenging part about applying to independent schools?

Ajay said that even though he and his family tried to get started as early as possible with the process, he still felt stressed with the deadlines he was up against. Since the process is so long and involved, he said that he often felt worried about whether things were moving fast enough. Ajay also said that his previous school struggled with understanding the process of applying to independent schools, making it difficult for him to obtain letters of recommendation and transcripts. Finally, Ajay noted the importance of creating a list of schools that you’re happy with. Each of the schools on your list should be viewed as real possibilities, so be mindful of the list that you make. 

Sofia explained that the most stressful part of the process for her occurred at the very end. She felt that she was constantly needing to check on her materials, recommendations, and scores to be sure that everything was submitted in a timely manner. This resulted in a lot of anxiety surrounding her final application submissions. Sofia also wanted to be sure that she clearly expressed her interest, so she was attending as many virtual events hosted by the school as possible.

Final Thoughts

The process of applying to independent schools can be time consuming and stressful, but it can also be extremely rewarding. Both Ajay and Sofia agree that as long as you stay organized and true to yourself throughout the process, you’ll end up right where you belong. 

Sophie Brenner

Sophie holds bachelor’s degrees in Rhetoric & Writing and Conversational Artificial Intelligence from the University of Texas. With a passion for design, equal opportunity, and student success, she envisions a future where technology and education seamlessly intertwine. Leveraging her unique background, Sophie works with her team to blend creativity and strategy together to drive impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences.

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Sealed with honor: a letter to your future self.

To the Class of 2028,

Congratulations on your official induction into our Community of Trust! It was a privilege to share one of my favorite UVA events with all of you. I hope that you will reflect on our words as classes commence, student organizations start meeting, and the school year begins to unfold.

By signing the Honor Scrolls, you have joined this outstanding community of students, faculty, and friends that are committed to mutual respect, integrity, and honesty. These values define and distinguish the UVA experience and make it such a special place. Now, you have the opportunity and responsibility to uphold this tradition and to make your mark!

Trust me, the next four years will be a whirlwind of activities, opportunities, and new adventures. I’d like to invite you to participate in another important tradition tonight – writing a letter to your “future self.” It’s important to take the time now to think about what you want your UVA experience to look like, and how you hope to grow and shape the lives of those around you.

“Letter to Your Future Self”

In four short years, just as you are preparing to graduate, having worn the honors of Honors, you will receive your letter back. Your words can serve as a testament to your journey, capturing your growth and moral development, perhaps better than a photograph or memory ever could. The page includes guiding questions, but please write yourself whatever you wish; all letters are private unless made public by you.

So, take a moment to write to your future self – you won't regret it.

And again, congratulations. I look forward to seeing the great things you accomplish here. Please contact me at [email protected] if I can ever be of assistance to you.

Laura Howard Chair, Honor Committee

The University of Chicago The Law School

Employment law clinic—significant achievements for 2023-24.

During the past academic year, the Employment Law Clinic has continued its work helping pro se plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases in federal court. This work includes representing pro se plaintiffs as their Settlement Assistance Counsel in individual discrimination cases and representing pro se plaintiffs in their appeals to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, the Employment Law Clinic has expanded its work with pro se plaintiffs by participating in the William J. Hibbler Memorial Pro Se Assistance Program. This program allows students in the Employment Law Clinic to provide pro se plaintiffs with advice about procedural issues in their cases. Some of the significant developments in a few of the Clinic’s cases are detailed below.

Settlement Assistance Cases

Clinical Professor Randall D. Schmidt and his students are appointed on a regular basis to provide representation to pro se plaintiffs at settlement conferences. Since starting this project in early 2021, Professor Schmidt has been appointed as Settlement Assistance Counsel for pro se plaintiffs in twenty employment discrimination cases. Although most of these cases were pending in the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Illinois, he has also been appointed in cases pending the Western Division of the Northern District of Illinois and in the Central District of Illinois.

These cases allow students to interview the client, research the legal and factual issues in the case, draft a settlement demand letter, represent the client at a settlement conference, and, if the case settles, draft the settlement agreement.

Professor Schmidt and his students have been very successful in resolving these cases. Of the twenty cases Professor Schmidt and his students have handled, fourteen were settled after one of more mediation sessions. Five are still pending awaiting the initial or follow-up settlement conference. One case did not settle and the plaintiff recently lost her case when the court granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment.

Below are a few examples of cases that Professor Schmidt and his students handled during the 2023-24 academic year. Each of these cases resulted in a settlement after one or more mediation sessions. Pursuant to the settlement agreements in these lawsuits the details of the settlements are confidential.

Jackson v. Robert W. Baird & Co. , No. 1:22-cv-04852 (Settled 09/11/23)

In October 2016, Devonia Jackson began working for Robert W. Baird & Co. (“Baird”) as an Administrative Assistant in its Milwaukee, Wisconsin office. Baird is a global investment-banking firm that provides private investment services to mid-market businesses.

While employed by Baird, Ms. Shaw received several promotions and pay increases in recognition of her excellent performance. In 2018, Ms. Jackson relocated to Baird’s Virginia office. In two months she raised concerns over the abusive behavior of a lead banker and transferred to the Chicago office.

In 2020, Ms. Jackson began reporting to a new supervisor. From the beginning of their professional relationship, the new supervisor treated Ms. Jackson differently from other employees. The supervisor was often dismissive of Ms. Jackson’s concerns. Without asking Ms. Jackson, she reassigned Ms. Jackson’s to work with junior bankers. The supervisor told Ms. Jackson that she was “scared of working” with her, despite being Ms. Jackson’s supervisor.

Suddenly and without warning, Baird discharged Ms. Jackson in August 2021. In support of its decision to discharge Ms. Jackson’s termination, Baird cited two incidents in which Ms. Jackson was allegedly insubordinate. Ms. Jackson disputed that she was insubordinate during either incident. Moreover, no one at Baird raised concerns about either incident until Ms. Jackson was discharged. Ms. Jackson’s supervisors neither warned Ms. Jackson about the incidents before her termination nor gave her a chance to explain herself, even though she had a history of being a high-performing employee.

In addition, Baird did not terminate other similarly situated, substantially younger, Administrative Assistants whose job performance and/or behavior at work was alleged to have been insubordinate. After discharging Ms. Jackson, Baird assigned Ms. Jackson’s duties to younger employees.

Finally, after Ms. Jackson left Baird, she found out that between August 2020 and August 2021 Baird terminated ten administrators, all of whom were over the age of forty. The employees who had been terminated were also highly experienced—many had over ten years of experience at Baird— and in an older age group. They, too, were replaced by younger employees.

Ms. Jackson filed a pro se complaint against Baird and alleged that its termination of her employment violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. During discovery, the parties indicated to the court that they were interested in participating a settlement conference. Accordingly, the court appointed Professor Schmidt to serve as Mr. Lara’s Settlement Assistance Counsel. The parties were able to agree to a settlement during the initial settlement conference and the case was dismissed.

Johnson v. P.F.A. Systems, Inc. , No. 1:22-cv-0719) (N.D. Ill.) (Settled 03/25/24)

P.F.A. Systems, Inc., is a regional trucking company that transports liquid hazardous materials. P.F.A. hired Seneca Johnson as a truck driver in February 2022. At the time he was hired, Mr. Johnson told his supervisor that as an accommodation to his disability (a lower back injury), he needed to be assigned to drive trucks with automatic transmissions. Mr. Johnson was told that it would not be a problem to provide this accommodation to him.

Despite P.F.A.’s assurance that it would provide Mr. Johnson with an automatic transmission truck, P.F.A. forced Mr. Johnson to drive a 13-speed manual transmission truck, which caused severe pain, numbness in his leg and exacerbated Mr. Johnson’s back injury. Mr. Johnson complained to P.F.A. about its failure to assign him to a truck with an automatic transmission. In response, P.F.A. informed Mr. Johnson that the automatic truck had been given to another driver because that driver’s truck had to be fixed.

A few days later, Mr. Johnson again requested that P.F.A. accommodate his disability by assigning him to a truck with an automatic transmission. His immediate supervisor told him that he needed to “deal with it or find another job.” The supervisor also said, “P.F.A. and I don’t care about people with disabilities. We’re not going to make special accommodations for people with disabilities.” Mr. Johnson told the supervisor that he and P.F.A. were discriminating against people with disabilities. The supervisor retorted that P.F.A. does not hire people with disabilities. In response to Mr. Johnson’s statement that it is against the law for a company to turn down a qualified person because of their disabilities, the supervisor said, “Then you are at the wrong company. We don’t play by those rules.”

A week later. P.F.A. discharged Mr. Johnson claiming it did not have enough work for him. At the same time, P.F.A. was running help wanted ads seeking truck drivers.

Mr. Johnson filed a lawsuit against P.F.A. alleging that it violated the Americans with Disability Act by (1) failing to provide a reasonable accommodation for his disability and (2) retaliating against him for asserting his statutory rights. After most of the discovery had been competed in the case, Professor Schmidt was appointed to represent Mr. Johnson as his Settlement Assistance Counsel. The matter was resolved a few months later.

Lara v. Health Track Sports and Wellness, LLC , No. 1:23-cv-00487 (N.D. Ill.) (Settled 03/19/24)

Lazaro Lara worked for Health Track Sports and Wellness, LLC, (“Health Track”), a health and fitness club, for sixteen years. Mr. Lara was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression, which qualifies as an impairment under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Early in his employment, Mr. Lara informed his employers of his disability.

Beginning in April 2020, Health Track subjected Mr. Lara to a severe and pervasive hostile work environment. Mr. Lara’s supervisor and his co-workers routinely harassed Mr. Lara on the basis of his disabilities, calling him “crazy” and taunting him that he “suffer[ed] from schizophrenia.” They hounded Mr. Lara about his medical issues, telling him that his medication was not working and that he needed additional medical intervention. They would change his schedule without notice, including forcing him to work in person during the COVID pandemic while others were allowed to stay home. To ensure compliance with their orders, Health Track threatened to strip Mr. Lara of his health insurance.

Mr. Lara suffered damage to his mental health that significantly affected his quality of life because of the severity of Health Track’s hostile work environment. As Lara’s condition worsened, he took two steps to try to stop the harassment. First, he requested a few specific accommodations: that all of his work tasks be put in writing, that he receive clear instructions, that he be put on a schedule to keep track of his hours and to avoid management changing it without notice, and that he have access to a quiet place as needed. Health Track, however, failed to provide these requested accommodations.

Second, after Health Track ignored his requested accommodations, he filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in January 2021. In the charge, Mr. Lara alleged that he had requested reasonable accommodations for his disabilities and Health Track refused to provide those accommodations. Mr. Lara further alleged that his co-workers subjected him to harassment because of his disabilities.

Subsequently, in late March 2021, Mr. Lara attended a meeting with his supervisors for the express purpose of discussing Mr. Lara’s accommodations not being met and the harassment. However, during the meeting, the supervisor tried to convince Mr. Lara that he was not mentally stable and that Mr. Lara needed to find someone to “take care of his affairs.” Further, the supervisor told Mr. Lara that he would never allow Mr. Lara to work due to his mental condition—even though Mr. Lara’s doctor had cleared him to work—and that Health Track did not have any hours for him if he tried to return. The supervisor pushed Mr. Lara to resign, guaranteeing him that he could retain health insurance through COBRA or the American Rescue Plan if he chose to resign. Mr. Lara refused to resign at any point during the meeting or thereafter. At the meeting’s end, the supervisor told Mr. Lara to take a few days off, assuring him that Health Track would investigate the issues and get back to him with their conclusions.

The next time Mr. Lara heard from Health Track was two weeks later in April 2021. At that time, Health Track informed Mr. Lara that he had voluntarily resigned and that he was no longer an employee of Health Track.

Mr. Lara filed a lawsuit against Health Track alleging that its actions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. In his complaint, Mr. Lara alleged that Health Track failed to accommodate Mr. Lara’s disabilities and subjected him to a severe and pervasive hostile work environment due to his disabilities during his employment. Mr. Lara also claimed that his discharge was in retaliation for his filing the EEOC charge and complaining about the discrimination and harassment.

Shortly after the case was filed, the court appointed Professor Schmidt to serve as Mr. Lara’s Settlement Assistance Counsel. After several settlement conferences, the parties were able to agree to a settlement and the case was dismissed.

Shaw v. Chicago School of Professional Psychology , No. 1:23-cv-00631 (N.D. Ill.) (Settled 09/11/23)

Donna Shaw worked for the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (“TCSPP”) for seven years. TCSPP is an accredited, nonprofit university that offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in psychology and related behavioral science fields. TCSPP has in-person campuses in seven metropolitan areas, including Chicago and San Diego, and an online campus.

Throughout her time at TCSPP, Ms. Shaw was discriminated against due to her race, color, and age. Most significantly, Ms. Shaw’s superiors created a hostile work environment for Ms. Shaw and repeatedly denied her promotions to positions that she is qualified to fill. On each occasion, instead of promoting Ms. Shaw, TCSPP promoted younger, less qualified, non-Black individuals. When Ms. Shaw complained about her treatment and the denial of promotions, TCSPP retaliated against her.

Ms. Shaw filed a pro se complaint of discrimination against TCSPP. In her complaint, Ms. Shaw alleged that TCSPP’s failure to take steps to end and prevent the hostile work environment and its failure to promote her violated Title and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Shortly after TCSPP filed its answer, the court appointed Professor Schmidt as Ms. Shaw’s Settlement Assistance Counsel and set the case for a settlement conference. The parties were able to reach a settlement during the settlement conference and the case was dismissed.

William J. Hibbler Memorial Pro Se Assistance Program

In early 2024, the Employment Law Clinic expanded its work with pro se litigants by participating in the William J. Hibbler Memorial Pro Se Assistance Program (“Hibler Help Desk”). The Hibbler Help Desk is administered by the People’s Law Center in cooperation with the District Court and the Chicago Bar Foundation. It is “staffed” by volunteer attorneys. It serves pro se litigants in civil cases filed or to be filed in the federal court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern and Western Divisions. A Program attorney provides pro se litigants with limited legal assistance with their cases. In particular, the Hibbler Help Desk provides pro se litigants with help on procedural issues, not substantive legal advice.

The Employment Law Clinic began helping pro se litigants in February 2024. Since then, students in the Clinic have met with and assisted more than twenty-five pro se litigants. The assistance we have provided includes helping clients complete the documents needed to file a pro se employment discrimination complaint; providing guidance on submitting Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a) initial disclosures, written discovery requests and responses; help in complying with the NDIL’s rules regarding motions to compel discovery; explaining the status of the pro se’s case or appeal; referring clients to resources that could assist them with the substantive legal issues in their cases; and referring pro se’s other providers of civil legal services or to social service agencies.

Appellate Cases

The Employment Law Clinic represents clients in a number of appeals in the US Court Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In some of these appeals, the Employment Law Clinic represents the appellants in their appeals. In other reconsiderations appeals, the Clinic is contacted and asked to participate as amicus curiae. Students working on these appeals write the briefs and present oral argument to the Seventh Circuit. Both Professor Schmidt and Lecturer in Law James Whitehead supervise the students in the appeals pending in the Seventh Circuit.

Bell v. DeJoy Appeal No. 24-1478 (7th Cir.)

Mary Bell is currently working for the United States Post Office (“Postal Service”). On November 22, 2022, Ms. Bell filed her pro se Complaint alleging that the Postal Service discriminated against her with respect to overtime pay and by refusing to downgrade her position. In response, the Postal Service moved to dismiss the complaint, in part, because Ms. Bell had not received a right-to-sue letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before filing her complaint. Thus, according to the Postal Service, Ms. Bell’s complaint was premature. Contrary to the Postal Service’s motion, Ms. Bell had in fact received a right-to-sue letter from the EEOC after filing her complaint and prior to the Postal Service’s filing of its motion to dismiss. This fact was not brought to the court’s attention, even though the Postal Service had received a copy of the right-to-sue letter, the court agreed and dismissed the complaint.

The Employment Law Clinic decided to submit an amicus brief in support of Ms. Bell because this case presents several issues of significant importance to the rights of individuals to pursue federal employment discrimination claims in court. In particular, the Employment Law Clinic argues that the district court incorrectly dismissed Ms. Bell’s claims because she had not filed an Amended Complaint raising the claims within ninety days of her receipt of a right-to-sue letter. The court, however, ignored the fact that she had raised the claims in her prematurely filed complaint before receiving the right-to-sue letter. In so doing, the district court disregarded the Seventh Circuit’s settled law that her receipt of the right-to-sue letter before the dismissal of her complaint had cured the Complaint’s premature filing.

The case is currently being briefed.

Miko Thomas v. JBS Green Bay Appeal No. 24-1404 (7th Cir.)

Mr. Thomas works for JBS Green Bay, one of the world’s largest meat producers. In his complaint, he alleged that his employer discriminated against him due to his color with respect to several terms and conditions of his employment, in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Relying on the Seventh Circuit’s standard for establishing justiciable adverse employment actions in discrimination cases, the district court dismissed Mr. Thomas’s Complaint and Amended Complaint. The court concluded that the actions he complained of were not “materially adverse” as a matter of law.

Mr. Thomas appealed and asked the Employment Law Clinic to represent him in his appeal. The Employment Law agreed to do so because of its interest in clarifying what adverse actions are actionable under Title VII, the ADA and other anti-discrimination statutes.

After the Employment Law Clinic agreed to represent Mr. Thomas, and six weeks after the district court’s final decision in Mr. Thomas’s case, the US Supreme Court, on April 17, 2024, issued its opinion in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis , 601 U.S. ___, 144 S. Ct 967 (2024). As the Employment Law Clinic predicted, the Court held that, although an employee must show some harm in order to prevail in a Title VII discrimination suit, an employee does not need to show that the injury satisfies a heightened significance test or was “materially adverse.” In doing so, the Court mentions Seventh Circuit precedent as an example of courts using an incorrect standard for determining what actions constitutes adverse action for purposes of Title VII.

Thus, the primary issue in Thomas is whether the district court erred in dismissing Mr. Thomas’s case in light of the Supreme Court’s opinion in Muldrow.

The case is currently being briefed and an oral argument is expected to take place this fall.

Sapp v. Forest Preserves of Cook County , Appeal No. 22-2865 (7th Cir.)

Tyler Sapp served as a full-time Police Officer for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois (“Forest Preserves”) from January 5, 2009, until his employment was terminated in January 2019. In 2018, Mr. Sapp went on a leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act so that he could receive treatment for a for bipolar disorder. In July 2018, he was released by his personal doctor to return to work with no restrictions. The Forest Preserves, however, refused to allow him to return to work and required that he undergo an independent medical examination to determine if Mr. Sapp was fit to return to work from his medical leave. Mr. Sapp agreed to do so. The doctor who performed the IME, however, concluded that Ms. Sapp was unfit to return to work as a Forest Preserves Police Officer. Mr. Sapp then requested that the Forest Preserves engage in an interactive process with him to determine if the Forest Preserves could accommodate his condition. The Forest Preserves refused to do so and instead discharged Mr. Sapp.

Mr. Sapp brought a disability-discrimination claim against the Forest Preserves under the Americans with Disabilities Act. He alleged that he is a qualified individual with a disability and that he had been denied the same terms and conditions afforded to his co-workers who were similarly situated. In particular, Mr. Sapp alleged that the Forest Preserves was aware of his disability and failed to reasonably accommodate his disability despite accommodating the disabilities of other Forest Preserves Police Officers.

After the close of discovery, the parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The district court issued its Memorandum Opinion and Order granting summary judgment to the Forest Preserves and denying Mr. Sapp’s motion. Mr. Sapp appealed the court’s decision.

On appeal, Mr. Sapp requested that the Employment Law Clinic represent him in his appeal. The Employment law Clinic agreed to do so. The primary issue the Employment Law Clinic planned to address in the appeal was whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment to the Forest Preserves because a reasonable jury could have found that the Forest Preserves’ failure to engage in the interactive process led to a violation of the ADA due to the failure to identify a reasonable accommodation. Instead of engaging with Mr. Sapp to find a solution, the Forest Preserves thwarted discussions by terminating his employment.

Shortly after filing an appearance in the appeal, the matter was set for mediation before the Seventh Circuit’s Mediation Office. After several mediation sessions, the parties were able to reach a settlement in the case and the appeal was dismissed.

Franklin Township Community School Corporation , Appeal No. 23-2786 (7th Cir)

In 2012, Wesley Tedrow was hired by Franklin Township School Corporation (“School Corporation”) as a teacher. In November 2019, Mr. Tedrow was preliminarily offered a higher-paying position to teach sixth grade at a different school in Indiana. The School Corporation, however, refused to provide Mr. Tedrow with a reference, despite having provided such references in the past. The School Corporation’s refusal to provide the reference resulted in the other school resulting in the rescinding of its offer.

Mr. Tedrow filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that the School Corporation declined to provide him with a reference because his sex and disability.

After Mr. Tedrow filed his initial charge, the School Corporation demanded that Mr. Tedrow submit to an Independent Medical Examination to determine if he was using steroids. The IME was inconclusive. The School Corporation then transferred Mr. Tedrow to different school in the district.

Mr. Tedrow filed a second charge with the EEOC alleging that his transfer was discriminatory and in retaliation for his first charge. The EEOC issued Mr. Tedrow a notice of right to sue and Mr. Tedrow filed suit against the School Corporation alleging discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008.

After discovery was completed, the School Corporation filed a motion for summary judgment on all claims, which was granted by the district court. The court dismissed Mr. Tedrow’s discrimination claims on the basis that: (1) he failed to properly plead his allegation that the School Corporation unlawfully refused to provide him with a reference, and (2) his transfer did not constitute an adverse employment action as required by Title VII because it did not include a reduction in compensation or benefits.

The Employment Law Clinic agreed to represent Mr. Tedrow on appeal because the issue of what constitutes actionable adverse action was an issue that was then pending before the US Supreme Court in in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis , 601 U.S. ___, 144 S. Ct 967 (2024), In addition, several other circuit courts of appeal hard recently issued opinions rejecting their prior precedent on what adverse actions are actionable.

Harris v. Vision Energy LLC , No. C-2300406 (Ohio Ct. App.)

The Employment Law Clinic is often requested to submit amicus briefs in cases in pending before the Illinois Supreme Court, the Illinois Court of Appeals, and appellate courts in other jurisdictions. This year, the Employment Law Clinic was asked to submit an amicus brief concerning the history of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collections Act (“IWPCA”) in Harris v. Vision . The Employment Law Clinic previously submitted a similar brief in Johnson v. Diakon Logistics, 44 F.3d 1048 (7th Cir. 2022).

In Harris , Jeff Harris, a resident of Ohio, worked for Vision Energy, an Ohio company. All of the work Mr. Harris provided to Vision took place in Illinois. In exchange for Mr. Harris’s labor, Vision promised him, among other compensation, a four percent equity interest in a yet-to-be-formed corporation. When Vision failed to pay him the value of the promised equity interest, Mr. Harris filed a complaint against Vision in Ohio to recover that sum under the IWPCA. Vision moved to dismiss Mr. Harris’ IWPCA claim based on a choice-of-law provision in the parties’ contract, which stated that the agreement was to be governed by Ohio law. The court granted Vision’s motion and dismissed the IWPCA claim.

Mr. Harris appealed the court’s dismissal of his IWPCA claim and his counsel requested that the Employment Law Clinic submit a brief explaining the history and strong public policy behind the IWPCA. The Employment Law Clinic agreed to do so and submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Mr. Harris.

In the amicus brief, the Employment Law Clinic argues that the history of the IWPCA and Illinois’s prior wage-theft statutes demonstrates the importance that the Illinois legislature has placed on protecting its workers and the centrality of preventing wage theft to Illinois’s public policy. The amicus brief also demonstrates that Illinois has a materially greater interest than Ohio in the resolution of the dispute because Mr. Harris performed all his work for Vision in Illinois. The lower court’s decision that requires Mr. Harris to bring his wage theft claim against Vision under Ohio’s wage laws, is manifestly repugnant to the fundamental policies of Illinois because Ohio’s wage protection laws would not have provided him with a viable claim or with any remedy for the work he performed solely in Illinois.

Finally, the Employment Law Clinic argued that the choice-of-law provision in the Harris-Vision Agreement did not override the territorial limitations of Ohio’s wage protection statutes, which do not apply extraterritorially to work performed exclusively outside of Ohio. Courts across the country, including Ohio courts, have long recognized that a state’s territorial limitations apply even when that state’s law is selected for application by a choice-of-law provision.

The appeal is pending in the Ohio Court of Appeals.