Jeff Sefcik: Raising Student Achievement Conference
The Benefits of Being a Trauma Informed School and Why It’s Important. A Principal’s Story
Starr Certified Trauma and Resilience Trainer, Jeff Sefcik will be presenting at the Raising Student Achievement Conference in Oak Brook, IL on December 8th, 2025.
During the breakout session Jeff will share Stanton School’s story of being a targeted school due to chronic absenteeism to earning a commendable status in just one year. This year, with Jeff at the helm, Stanton School received its second consecutive commendable rating because of the committed work he and his staff did and continue to do as a trauma informed school. Jeff will share how his staff, including the bus drivers, became certified trauma informed specialists, how to improve daily routines and practices by being resilience focused, and how changing the mindset from punitive to “Opportunities to Be Better” have impacted the student’s behavior and social emotional growth. Stanton School’s growth is validated by the data through significant improvements in student behaviors and daily attendance.
Thirty-three years ago, Jeff began his career as a high school teacher and baseball coach at Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, Illinois. During his ten years at Driscoll, he taught History and led the Varsity Baseball program to remarkable success, earning a career record of 251 wins and 102 losses, including state championships for the Highlanders in 1994 and 1997. Notably, fifty-six of his players continued on to compete at the collegiate level, with five advancing to professional baseball.
After retiring from coaching, Jeff continued his commitment to education by teaching Social Studies at Wauconda Middle School in Wauconda, Illinois. During this time, he earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University. In 2005, he joined District 114 in Fox Lake, Illinois, as an Assistant Principal at Stanton School—and four years later was named Principal.
Jeff has earned the distinguished honors of Lakes Region Assistant Principal of the Year and Principal of the Year. He has also served as a mentor to new principals, sharing his depth of experience, leadership philosophy, and passion for fostering positive school culture. Over his two decades at Stanton, he became increasingly dedicated to understanding childhood trauma and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on students. He is a certified Trauma-Informed and Resilience Specialist and Coach.
At the conclusion of the 2024–2025 school year, Jeff retired as Principal of Stanton School. Now, in retirement, he is excited to continue supporting educators nationwide by sharing his knowledge, experiences, and insights into trauma-informed practices and resilient school communities.
