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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third largest school district in the United States, serving over 350,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission we make three commitments to our students, their families and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership and continuous learning.

The Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) aims to eliminate health-related barriers to learning and promote health equity. OSHW recognizes nursing plays a key role in that aim. Nurse Managers create a collaborative and efficient workplace with attention to quality standards and policies, so all nurses will be able to do their best in caring for our CPS students. The goal is to foster an excellent environment that will support everyone in working to the benefit of our district, our students, our staff, and our community. 

The Nurse Manager is responsible for the professional development, supervision and evaluation of certified school nurses, health service nurses, and licensed practical nurses serving our students and schools. The Nurse Manager supports services and resources related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Through collaboration and advocacy, the Nurse Manager supports school system goals and priorities, as well as the mission of the Office of Student Health and Wellness.

Our Team is focused on...

• Empowering students and families with information about healthy practices

• Partnering with school communities to promote enrollment in child health benefits

• Ensuring all students have high-quality holistic care, including physical and mental health services, from full time employees and specialized staff

• Modeling high expectations and continuous improvement for our colleagues across the district

Our new Nurse Manager will…

• Join a team of dedicated Nurse Managers and directly/indirectly supervise 75+ school assigned nurses

• Lead and facilitate training/professional development of nurses to enhance their effectiveness and improve their practice

• Collaborate with the Talent Office to screen and hire nurses city-wide, including orientation and mentoring new staff

• Collaborate with the Nurse Manager team to manage the inventory of resources for nurses city-wide

• Develop, implement and monitor the assignment and scheduling of district and agency nurses on a regular and daily basis, including substitute coverage 

• Assist in the building of a Public Health Nursing Corp to support CPS’ short and long term response to COVID-19 and other public health needs which include:

  • Oversight of local health protocols within assigned schools/region including education, tracking and data/report management 

  • Tracking student absenteeism

  • Investigating unreported COVID cases

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) management, ordering and distribution

  • Conceptualization and implementation of mass vaccination programs and protocols 

  • Promotion of Healthy CPS initiatives and lead Wellness Teams in Schools

• Analyze health related data and recommend strategies for improvement

• Cooperate with networks, school, central office management, parents and other stakeholders to continually improve nurse programming

• Conduct REACH evaluations for Certified School Nurses and assist with performance evaluation for Health Service Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses

• Recommend and lead improvements of district-wide nursing practice to ensure alignment with the National Association of School Nurses’ (NASN) Framework for 21st century school nursing practice

• Performs related duties and other tasks as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Nurse Manager must possess the following:

Key Competencies

• Innovative self-starter with outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail

• Superior oral and written communication skills, comfortable presenting professional development

• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, combined with strong initiative and a team player attitude

• Ability to communicate and build trusting relationships with key stakeholder groups (e.g. collective bargaining units, building administrators, directors, etc.) especially within CPS

• Commitment to understanding and implementing evolving evidence-based practices in nursing, public health, and medicine

• Dedicated to strengthening nursing culture and competencies through mentorship and professional development

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience as a Registered Nurse (RN)

• Minimum of three (3) years experience leading effective nursing teams, preference for a school environment

• Previous experience planning, coordinating, and executing efforts across multiple, regionally dispersed units

Required Education and Licensure:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing, Nursing Leadership, Public Administration, or a health-related program 

• A current State of Illinois Registered Nurse license and CPR certification

• ISBE Professional Educator License endorsed as a School Nurse or commitment to complete School Nurse Certification within timeline specified by hiring manager, preferred

• REACH certification or commitment to complete REACH certification within timeline specified by hiring manager

Residency Requirement:

• As a condition of employment with CPS, employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.