Elementary School Visual Arts Teacher

About the Role

Springfield Public Schools (SPS) is seeking qualified candidates for full-time and part-time visual art teaching positions at the elementary and middle school levels. SPS students represent a diverse group of cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds, bringing rich perspectives, experiences, and insights into the classroom. We celebrate our students’ unique abilities and encourage learning with a student-centered approach.

Responsibilities

• Meets and instructs assigned classes in the locations and at times designated.
• Plans a program of study that meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of students.
• Creates a classroom environment conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of students.
• Guides the learning process toward the achievement of established district curriculum goals; establishes and communicates clear objectives for lessons, units, and projects.
• Prepares for assigned classes and shows written evidence of preparation upon request of the immediate supervisor.
• Employs a variety of instructional techniques and media consistent with the needs and capabilities of students.
• Implements the district’s philosophy of education, instructional goals, and performance expectations through instruction and action.
• Assesses student accomplishments regularly; provides progress reports and communicates with parents as necessary.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulations.
• Diagnoses student learning challenges and seeks assistance from district specialists as required.
• Takes necessary precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Follows the SPS code of conduct and develops fair classroom behavior rules.
• Plans and supervises assignments for paraprofessionals and provides written evaluations as required.
• Maintains an ongoing program of professional growth that satisfies district and personal expectations.
• Participates in the teacher evaluation process and contributes to mutual agreement on evaluation results.
• Attends building and district meetings to promote communication and mutual decision-making.
• Attends school-sponsored activities (e.g., Back to School Night, Open House) as agreed upon by the building administrator and faculty.
• Contributes to district and building decisions regarding budget, facilities, curriculum, and staff well-being.
• Strives to maintain and improve professional competence.

Requirements

• Highly qualified with required competency in the content area.
• Appropriate content/program area educator license (Visual Art) and grade level (PreK-8) licensure from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• Bachelor’s Degree with appropriate license; Master’s Degree with content area license preferred and/or expected within 5 years.
• Strong visual art content knowledge, passion for teaching, excellent interpersonal skills, and solid classroom management abilities.

About Our District

Springfield Public Schools is a cultural gem in Western Massachusetts committed to providing a learning environment that opens doors of infinite possibilities for our students and staff. We serve approximately 24,000 students and are the 3rd largest district in Massachusetts. Our district embraces diversity, with over 44 languages spoken and over 60 countries represented by students and staff. We foster a positive and professional environment where people feel valued, respected, supported, seen, and heard. Our commitment to equity and excellence ensures all students and staff share ideas and perspectives, learning from and appreciating each other.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and benefits.
• Cutting-edge professional development opportunities shaped by district data.
• Support from instructional leadership specialists and effective educator coaches for lesson planning, data analysis, and management.
• Career advancement opportunities and investment in “Grow our Own” and educational pipeline programs to help staff achieve degrees or certifications.