Knapp School & Yeshiva students have increased their confidence along with their creativity through participation in a drama program called Build A Play, offered by Northlight Theatre in Skokie.

When Elle came to Knapp School & Yeshiva, her teachers described her as shy and withdrawn. She would often arrive late to school and would sleep in class. As a team, the Knapp staff came up with a plan to support Elle to be successful and reach her goals.

“Our students have been remarkably resilient in the face of all this change and I believe their resilience is in part due to the relationships they have with teachers, teaching aides, clinicians, and support staff in the building,” said Maureen Gilligan, the director of instruction & assessment at Knapp School & Yeshiva. 

“In the last month, Knapp School & Yeshiva staff and leadership have put forth immense amounts of time, energy, and thoughtfulness to make the transition from working in-person with our students, to keeping students engaged and supported remotely,” says Sandra Spicher, Knapp School’s principal. “Their outstanding efforts have been appreciated by our students and their families.”

Bulldog Bulletin, March 2020

Bulldog Bulletin, June 2019

Knapp School and Yeshiva consists of multiple teams and support systems. Like many schools, ours is comprised of teachers, teaching assistants and ancillary staff. However, one element in our school not so commonly found in others is our Support Team. Stationed strategically throughout our school, Team members provide intensive, often one-to-one support to students daily. When students are having challenges and need time outside of the classroom, Team members are ready and waiting to assist.

Students at Knapp School and Yeshiva experience skill building in many ways! One area of focus, especially for our middle and upper school students, is employment.  We believe planning and early preparation for successful entry into the job market is crucial.