What Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is All About...

The Role of the 5th Grade Teacher in Deerfield 109

DEERFIELD 109 - MISSION
Where challenging experiences foster confidence, collaborative relationships build community, and creative environments ignite curiosity.

DEERFIELD 109 - VISION
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.

GENERAL INFORMATION
TITLE: Elementary School - 5th Grade Teacher
DEPARTMENT: Elementary Classroom Teachers
LICENSURE: Professional Educator License (PEL)
ENDORSEMENT: Self-Contained General Education K-9
CLASSIFICATION:  Certified
FLSA STATUS:  Non-exempt
REPORTS TO:  Building administration
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  N/A
PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Student teaching, internship, or full/part-time teaching experience
EVALUATION: Evaluated by the Principal, Assistant Principal, and/or other certified evaluators using the agreed upon evaluation tool. This includes formal observation of job performance, inclusion of informal observation data, an artifact file, student growth measures. The evaluation cycle for teachers not in continued contractual service (tenure) shall be one school year. The evaluation cycle for teachers who have attained tenure in District 109 shall be three school years unless job performance is deemed as “needs improvement” or “unsatisfactory.”
PRIOR EXPERIENCE:  Successful completion of student teaching and/or internship
DATES: 2026-2027
AVAILABILITY: One (1.0 FTE) Position(s)/Full-Time
PLACEMENT: Kipling Elementary School
WORK CALENDAR: Teacher

JOB GOAL(S)

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.

MAJOR DUTIES & PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES

The criterion indicated below are intended to describe various types of work that may be performed. The exclusion of specific responsibilities does not prohibit them if the work is similar, related, or a logical task of the position.

Planning, Preparation, and Instruction

Aligns content of lessons to district curriculum, content, and benchmark standards and objectives.
Plans engaging and rigorous learning experiences for students in the classroom.
Instructional lessons and projects include authentic, real world applications of knowledge and understanding.
Facilitates self-directed learning experiences for students in the classroom.
Works collaboratively to identify innovative, practical, and effective differentiation, enrichment, and remediation strategies to enhance the student learning experience.
Plans for summative and formative assessment of student learning, and communicates results.
Utilizes student data to drive instruction.
Honors and ensures that legal mandates are integrated effectively into the classroom setting wherever applicable as laid forth by both 504 and IEP plans.
Maintains accurate records of critical student information such as allergies, behaviors, and medical conditions and is aware of the care required.
Prepares clear, detailed, and organized lesson plans for substitute teachers including critical student information.

Classroom Environment/Management

Maintains a safe, student-centered classroom, which fosters student growth, collaboration, and learning experiences.
Develops a positive classroom culture that emphasizes respect for individual differences.
Fosters student ownership of the classroom environment.
Collaborates with students to create and establish classroom procedures and routines.
Collaborates with students to create and establish classroom expectations.

Communication

Timely and informative communication with parents regarding curriculum and classroom expectations.
Responds to parent inquiries in a variety of formats, in a timely manner in line with district expectations.
Establishes age appropriate, respectful dialogue with students through a variety of mediums.
Effectively and collaboratively communicates with colleagues and engages in respectful discourse.
Where applicable, ensures community stakeholders access to general information regarding classroom events, performance, and progress via appropriate traditional and social media formats.
Responsible for maintaining dialogue with specialty and special education staff to address a variety of student needs including but not limited to student behavior, academic concerns, and social/emotional learning.

Technology

Appropriately integrates district-prescribed technology/instructional media to enhance instruction and learning.
Understands legal, ethical, and social issues as they apply to responsible and acceptable use of the Internet, hardware, and other digital resources.
Provides for safe storage and proper use of technology materials, equipment, and tools.
Incorporates current and research-based technology seamlessly into the classroom.
Uses resources for adaptive/assistive devices that provide access for all students.

Professional Responsibilities

Committed to ongoing personal and collaborative opportunities for self-assessment and professional growth.
Communicates and works collaboratively to develop and maintain partnerships with colleagues to enhance student learning.
Collects, organizes, and maintains accurate records of student data including academic and social/emotional development.

MENTAL DEMANDS
Knowledge

The teacher possesses a working knowledge of curriculum, subject content and the developmental needs of students. Examples include, but are not limited to, address appropriate curriculum standards; integrate key content elements; facilitate use of higher level thinking skills in instruction; demonstrate the ability to link present content with past and future learning experiences, other subject areas, and real world experiences; demonstrate accurate knowledge of the subject matter; exhibit skills relevant to the subject area taught; and display an understanding of the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of the age group.

Ability

The employee shall engage in collaborative dialogue with peers; maintain records and prepares applicable reports; communicate effectively both orally and in written form; read, interpret, apply, and explain policies and procedures; meet the requirements of schedules and time lines; take professional initiative; plan, and organize work independently; read a variety of materials, engage in ongoing professional development; implement a student centered approach to problem-solving and conflict-resolution; demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with other certified, classified, and administrative personnel, parents, and community members.

Education/Preparation

The employee shall possess the equivalent of a Bachelor’s Degree in the field of Elementary Education; completion of teacher preparation program through an accredited university or college; successful completion of State proficiency exam(s) or equivalent; and at all times possess and maintain appropriate licensure through the State of Illinois.

Reasoning

The employee shall possess the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. The employee shall possess the ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. The employee shall possess ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, hear, taste, and smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works inside but could occasionally be outside and is subject to noises associated with an educational environment both indoors and outdoors that is deemed moderate. The employee works in an educational setting with children of varying ages and abilities is directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of students. Duties may occasionally be performed in libraries, cafeterias, parking lots, gymnasiums, auditoriums, hallways, and on field trips away from the school.

The mental demands, physical demands, and work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to allow an employee with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Elementary School - 5th Grade - 2026/2027