(August 31, 2022) With more than a decade of special education experience, Dr. Tracey Lank has been named the supervisor of elementary special education at the Cheltenham School District. The board of school directors approved Dr. Lank’s appointment at its June legislative meeting, and Dr. Lank joined the staff on August 1, 2022.
“My passion is helping children become their best selves,” said Dr. Lank, who has authored numerous publications. “As a special education leader, I have a responsibility to support teachers supporting children, to give educators the tools necessary to understand that not only every child is unique but the learning is just as unique. It is up to educators to understand how children learn, not up to children to understand how educators teach.”
Most recently, Dr. Lank served as the director of special education at Philadelphia’s Russell Byers Charter School for four years (2018-2022). Prior to Byers, Dr. Lank was the supervisor of special education at Philadelphia’s String Theory School (2016-2018); principal/education director at the Lincoln Center for Youth and Family Services Trans-Ed Academy in Audubon, Pa., for a year; and principal at Education Plus Academy in Wayne, Pa. for a year. The first educational administration position she held was as program coordinator/special education lead teacher from 2007 - 2015 at HollyDell School in Hurffville, N.J., which ran a school-wide program based on applied behavior analysis.
Dr. Lank received her doctorate and master’s degree from Wilmington (Del.) University. Her doctorate is in organizational leadership and innovation, and her master’s degree is in school leadership. She graduated from Delaware State University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a special education focus.
An adjunct professor teaching introduction to special education at Lehigh Carbon Community College, Dr. Lank resides in Wilmington, Del., with her family.
