Meet our team

The Heart of LFCDS

The People Behind the Program

The teachers here are the ones you never forget.

They notice the small things, know when a student is ready to be stretched, and show up the same way every day. At LFCDS, that spirit runs from the classroom all the way through leadership: the Head of School knows every student by name, and parents describe feeling a genuine partner in their child's education, not a bystander to it.

A young girl and an adult man sitting at a classroom table, looking at a letter or paper together, with educational posters and shelves filled with books in the background.

Get to know our head of School

John Melton has led the school with a deep belief in the power of relationships, community, and exceptional teaching.

An experienced independent school leader, John brings a collaborative leadership style centered on listening, partnership, and continuous growth. He works closely with faculty, families, and students to strengthen the school while honoring the traditions that have shaped LFCDS for more than a century.

Today, John is focused on preparing students for the future while preserving what makes LFCDS distinctive: an education where every child is challenged, supported, and inspired to become their best self.

“What drew me to LFCDS was its rich tradition of exceptional teaching, its engaged and welcoming community, and its unwavering commitment to knowing every child.”
— John Melton, Head of School

Careers & Opportunities

Looking to join the LFCDS Family?

  • Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long unpaid internship based out of our Innovation Space. The ideal candidate is an expert in their area of design (physical, digital, or otherwise!) and is comfortable with sharing their expertise across the LFCDS community.

    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long unpaid internship based out of our Innovation Space. The ideal candidate is an expert in their area of design (physical, digital, or otherwise!) and is comfortable with sharing their expertise across the LFCDS community.

    LFCDS is a Microsoft Showcase School with a 2,800 square foot Innovation Space where students have access to a multimedia center, Lego Robotics Lab, and an Innovation Space stocked with everything from woodworking tools to 3D Printers. Beyond classes pushing into the ‘iLab’ for Project-Based Learning and Design Thinking units, we pride ourselves on having a STEAM-related “open shop time” where students can utilize the space for any project both before and after school as well as during recess.

    About the Position

    The Designer in Residence will work with students across all age ranges on our campus in formal classroom settings and informal makerspace times. In addition, this candidate will partner with the Innovation Space Director to design a designated area in the Innovation Space to be a hub for the DIR’s content area of focus. The DIR will also be invited to consult with departments on campus that may benefit from their expertise.

    We seek a candidate who has a high degree of expertise and is a strong communicator. The person will be enthusiastic, dedicated, and excited to share their knowledge with young students. You should work best in a collaborative environment where you can help bring ideas to life. The ideal candidate will have a programmatic vision that they can articulate.

    Hours:

    This unpaid internship is for 10-20 hours/week. The Intern will commit 10 to 15 hours per week on our campus. Ideally, the DIR will be prepared to pivot to a remote learning environment if needed.

    Key Responsibilities:

    • Work in partnership with the Innovation Space Director to create an original design curriculum built around the DIR’s specialty

    • Co-teach classes and lead small groups of students through project-based learning
      Attend relevant department and grade-level meetings

    • Provide consultation to departments that could benefit from the DIR’s expertise.

    • Work within the Design Thinking model and LFCDS design scope and sequence and New Literacies goals

    Qualifications and Skills:

    • Expertise in a design area

    • Past experience working with children preferred

    • Flexibility and adaptability with a client-centered approach to work

    • Comfort level with working and teaching through the lens of design thinking.

    Mission Statement:

    Through inspired teaching and partnership with families, Lake Forest Country Day School nurtures a love of learning a builds a foundation of strong character, preparing students to navigate their path with purpose.


    Core Beliefs:

    Childhood is Championed, Community is our Core, Curiosity is a Gift, We Aim High

    To apply:

    Please submit a cover letter and resume to greg.mcdonough@lfcds.org with the email heading “Design Internship”.


    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks and embraces diversity among our faculty, staff, and student body. LFCDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, religion, marital status, disability, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, order of protection status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

  • Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long unpaid internship based out of our Technology Department. The ideal candidate is interested in a career in marketing or development.

    LFCDS, located on a 30-acre campus about 30 miles north of Chicago, Illinois, is a co-educational, independent day school serving 400 students from age 2 through eighth grade. The School has a long tradition of producing thoughtful, confident, and successful students. Children are known, loved, and challenged at LFCDS, and a state-of-the-art facility provides a remarkable setting for inspired teaching, academic rigor, and attention to individual needs.

    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long unpaid internship based out of our Technology Department. The ideal candidate is interested in a career in marketing or development.

    LFCDS is a Microsoft Showcase School with a 2,800-square-foot Innovation Space, where students have access to a multimedia center, a Lego Robotics Lab, and an Innovation Space stocked with everything from woodworking tools to 3D Printers. Beyond classes, we extend our offerings into the ‘iLab’ for Project-Based

    Learning and Design Thinking units. We pride ourselves on having a STEAM-related ‘open shop time’where students can utilize the space for any project, both before and after school, as well as during recess.

    About the Position

    The Innovation Advancement Intern will work with faculty and students across all age ranges on our campus in informal prep times. Additionally, this candidate will partner with the Director of Technology and the Innovation Space Director to streamline communications, assist in planning and executing events, and support program development.

    We seek a candidate who has a high degree of energy and is a strong communicator. The person will be enthusiastic, dedicated, and excited to share their knowledge with the LFCDS community. You should work best in a collaborative environment where you can help bring ideas to life. The ideal candidate will have a vision of an effective communications and/or development strategy that they can articulate.

    Hours:

    This unpaid internship is for 10-20 hours/week. The Intern will commit 10 to 15 hours per week on our campus.

    Key Responsibilities:

    • Support the Director of Technology in creating a weekly, internal technology newsletter

    • Work with the Innovation Space Director to research and write a grant proposal

    • Sit on the planning committee for the annual Innovation Design Challenge and the annual LFCDS Mini-Conference

    • Create marketing materials for the annual Innovation Design Challenge and LFCDS Mini-Conference

    • Project manage the weekly LFCDS Morning Announcements by writing a script and working with students in preparation each week. 

    Qualifications and Skills:

    • Working towards a career in an advancement-related field

    • A willingness to learn and work across multiple departments

    • Flexibility and adaptability with a client-centered approach to work

    Mission Statement:Through inspired teaching and partnership with families, Lake Forest Country Day School nurtures a love of learning and builds a foundation of strong character, preparing students to navigate their path with purpose.

    Core Beliefs:

    Childhood is Championed, Community is our Core, Curiosity is a Gift, We Aim High

    To apply:

    Please submit a cover letter and resume to greg.mcdonough@lfcds.org with the email heading "Innovation Advancement Internship”

    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks and embraces diversity among our faculty, staff, and student body. LFCDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, religion, marital status, disability, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, order of protection status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

  • Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long “Non-Profit Data Integration Specialist” unpaid internship based out of our Informational Technology Office. The ideal candidate is an expert in data analysis with a strong ability to communicate information.

    LFCDS, located on a 30-acre campus about 30 miles north of Chicago, Illinois, is a co-educational, independent day school serving 400 students from age 2 through eighth grade. The School has a long tradition of producing thoughtful, confident, and successful students. Children are known, loved, and challenged at LFCDS, and a state-of-the-art facility provides a remarkable setting for inspired teaching, academic rigor, and attention to individual needs.

    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks a Junior or Senior undergraduate student for a semester-long “Non-Profit Data Integration Specialist” unpaid internship based out of our Informational Technology Office. The ideal candidate is an expert in data analysis with a strong ability to communicate information.

    LFCDS is a Microsoft Showcase School with a 2,800 square foot Innovation Space where students can access a multimedia center, Lego Robotics Lab, and an Innovation Space. The school has a dedicated, full-time Informational Technology Department that works closely together for system administration and educational technology integration.

    About the Position

    The Non-Profit Data Integration Specialist will help develop a data-centered approach to school improvement. The NPDIS will create systems to analyze existing data and improve our process for collecting and reviewing data information from various departments.


    We seek a candidate who has a high degree of expertise and is a strong communicator. The person will be enthusiastic, dedicated, and excited to share their knowledge with colleagues. You should work best in a collaborative environment.

    Hours: This unpaid internship is for 10-20 hours/week during the spring semester. The Intern will commit 10 to 15 hours per week on our campus.

    Key Responsibilities:

    • Develop data acquisition and analysis strategies for the Informational Technology Department and other departments

    • Identify and evaluate tools to track, manage, and utilize student data

    • Develop a best practices guide for survey and data gathering

    Qualifications and Skills:

    • Expertise in Computer Science and/or Data Science

    • Flexibility and adaptability with a client-centered approach to work

    • Comfort level with working across multiple teams and projects

    Mission Statement:

    Through inspired teaching and partnership with families, Lake Forest Country Day School nurtures a love of learning a builds a foundation of strong character, preparing students to navigate their path with purpose.


    Core Beliefs:

    Childhood is Championed, Community is our Core, Curiosity is a Gift, We Aim High

    To apply:

    Please submit a cover letter and resume to greg.mcdonough@lfcds.org with the email heading “Technology Internship”.


    Lake Forest Country Day School seeks and embraces diversity among our faculty, staff, and student body. LFCDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, religion, marital status, disability, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, order of protection status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

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