Curtis Callands

Dr. Curtis Callands is an educational practitioner and Philadelphia native who has been embedded in the field of special education for over 20 years. He holds an Ed.D in Educational Leadership with a concentration in designing trauma-informed care schools, master’s degrees in both K-12 Special Education Supervision and Educational Leadership, and a bachelor’s degree in
Special Education. As a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, he conducted his doctoral research in helping schools and organizations understand and mitigate trauma’s impact on children by designing trauma-informed care schools. As a researcher and practitioner in the field of education, his work led him to design and publish a training manual, A Principal’s Mission in Designing Trauma-Informed Care Schools.  For his endless work in the field of education, Dr. Callands was honored with the Legacy Leadership Award from West Chester University in 2020. 

Dr. Callands is a committed leader who has dedicated his professional career to the field of special education and considering children’s unique needs and abilities. He is a leading consultant, trainer, and principal of the Bancroft School located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, serving students with autism and emotional disturbance in grades from early middle school to post-secondary. Prior to his position as the principal at Bancroft, he was a principal at the Elwyn Davidson School and LifeWorks Behavioral Health School, an assistant chief academic officer and principal for the Chester Community Charter Elementary and Middle Schools, an administrator at Devereux Institution, and special education teacher at the Northbridge Alternative School in the North Penn School District. 

In his role as an educational leader, Dr. Callands is known for his high level of engagement and expertise in the field of special education. He believes in building robust relationships with stakeholders by involving them in meaningful and productive ways to improve student and educator performance. This approach mirrors his process of cultivating collaborative teams among teachers and staff. He enjoys coaching and modeling specialized instruction by building staff and student relationships through engagement. Educational teams are assembled to evaluate, identify, and address students’ specialized developmental, social, emotional, and academic needs. Dr. Callands is committed to best practices and high-quality education for all children. He understands these best practices through the African proverb, “It takes a
village to raise a child.”