Catherine Cook School

Catherine Cook School is an independent day school in Chicago serving approximately 400 students in Pre-K through eighth grade. The school develops empowered learners through academic excellence and innovative teaching, grounded in a culture of wellbeing and belonging. Families are active partners in the learning community, not peripheral to it.

Teaching at Catherine Cook School means working within a developmental framework. Rather than moving all students at one pace, teachers use research-based methods to adapt instruction to individual learners. A child who feels secure and known arrives ready to learn. Faculty build that security intentionally, creating inclusive classrooms where each student stretches at their own level while meeting clear academic standards.

The school's financial stability matters for daily work. Net assets exceed $20 million, which supports competitive salaries, professional development budgets, and reasonable class sizes. The tools you need to teach well are actually available—not promised in a mission statement someday.

Catherine Cook School hires teaching faculty across elementary and middle school subjects year-round. French and Spanish teaching positions open regularly, reflecting the school's commitment to language instruction. Administrative, support, and instructional aide roles also cycle throughout the year, with peak hiring before the fall term begins.

For Chicago-area educators seeking a day school teaching position where developmental expertise and academic rigor reinforce each other, Catherine Cook offers concrete work in that mission. You join a community that takes belonging seriously and backs it up with resources.