Elementary - General Music Teacher - 2026/2027 - LONG TERM SUBSTITUTE

About Deerfield Public Schools District 109

Where challenging experiences foster confidence, collaborative relationships build community, and creative environments ignite curiosity. We will develop each student to be emotionally resilient, socially skilled, and academically prepared by forging connections within, across, and beyond our classrooms, and by embracing each student's uniqueness.

About the Role

Under general supervision, the employee will guide pupil progress toward established district standards; implement best-practice instructional techniques and strategies; adhere to curricular objectives; sustain an engaging and supportive learning environment; and demonstrate professional responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Align content of lessons to common curriculum goals, content standards, and benchmark standards.
• Incorporate authentic, real-world applications of knowledge and understanding into lessons.
• Collaborate with staff to problem-solve and identify innovative, practical, and effective differentiation and remediation strategies to meet student learning needs.
• Plan for both formative and summative assessment of student learning and communicate results via written and oral methods.
• Utilize student data to inform instruction.
• Honor and ensure legal mandates (504 and IEP plans) are integrated effectively into the classroom setting.
• Maintain accurate records of critical student information such as allergies, behaviors, and medical conditions.
• Prepare clear, detailed, and organized lesson plans for substitute teachers, including student emergency medical information.
• Maintain a safe, student-centered classroom that supports learning, collaboration, and choice.
• Develop a positive classroom culture emphasizing respect for individual differences and high academic expectations.
• Establish effective classroom procedures, routines, standards of conduct, and clear consequences.
• Communicate timely and informative updates with parents regarding curriculum and classroom expectations.
• Respond to parent inquiries in a timely manner, in line with district expectations.
• Engage in age-appropriate, respectful dialogue with students through various forms of communication.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with colleagues and engage in respectful discourse.
• Ensure community stakeholders have access to general information about classroom events, performance, and progress via traditional and social media.
• Maintain dialogue with specialty and special education staff to address student needs, including behavior, academic, and social/emotional learning.
• Appropriately integrate prescribed technology and instructional media to enhance instruction and learning.
• Understand legal, ethical, and social issues related to responsible and acceptable use of the Internet and digital resources.
• Provide for safe storage and proper use of technology materials, equipment, and tools.
• Stay current with evolving technology and use resources for adaptive/assistive devices to provide access for all students.
• Engage in ongoing self-assessment and refinement of classroom practice as well as collaborative professional growth.
• Attend required staff, department, mentor/mentee, and in-service meetings as per contract.
• Communicate and work collaboratively to support and create partnerships with colleagues.
• Maintain organized data on students' academic and social/emotional growth.

Requirements

• Professional Educator License (PEL) or Substitute License (SUB) from the State of Illinois.
• Endorsement in Self-Contained General Education K-9 or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education or related field.
• Completion of a teacher preparation program through an accredited university or college.
• Successful completion of State proficiency exam(s) or equivalent.
• Successful completion of student teaching and/or internship.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with abstract and concrete variables in situations with limited standardization.
• Ability to interpret technical instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Skills

• Working knowledge of curriculum, subject content, and developmental needs of students.
• Ability to facilitate higher-level thinking skills in instruction and link content with past, future, and real-world experiences.
• Demonstrated accurate knowledge of subject matter and relevant skills.
• Ability to engage in collaborative dialogue with peers and maintain records.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to read, interpret, apply, and explain policies and procedures.
• Ability to meet schedules and deadlines and take professional initiative.
• Ability to plan and organize work independently.
• Ability to implement a student-centered approach to problem-solving and conflict resolution.
• Ability to work cooperatively with certified, classified, and administrative personnel, parents, and community members.

Schedule

Full-time position from August 31, 2026, to November 30, 2026, following the teacher work calendar. Placement at Wilmot Elementary School.

Pay

$300 per day.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to stand, walk, talk, hear, taste, and smell.
• Occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Primarily works indoors but may occasionally be outside.
• Subject to moderate noise levels associated with an educational environment.
• Directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of students.
• Duties may be performed in various settings such as libraries, cafeterias, parking lots, gymnasiums, auditoriums, hallways, and on field trips.