Science Teacher

Sylvania; Oak Park (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package

Job summary

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 (OPRF) in Oak Park, IL seeks a Science teacher for a dual AP Physics 1 and Physics-Chemistry assignment. The role emphasizes practice-based mastery, inclusive supports, and collaboration with a Special Education educator in a co-taught setting.

The position requires Illinois licensure in Physics and Chemistry and active participation in a Teacher Collaboration Team to ensure equitable, high-quality science instruction.

Qualifications

• Valid Illinois Professional Educator’s License with Physics and Chemistry endorsement required.
• Commitment to equity and creating an inclusive learning environment for all students.

Responsibilities

• Partner in a Co-Taught Classroom: Collaborate with a Special Education co-teacher in Physics-Chemistry to co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess.
• Facilitate Discourse-Driven Inquiry: Design and lead inquiry-based experiences fostering student-led discourse and deep understanding.
• Assess & Track Transferable Skills: Align grading with core scientific competencies using accommodations and rubrics.
• Cultivate a Safe, Iterative Classroom Culture: Normalize the scientific process and view mistakes as learning steps.
• Collaborate in High-Functioning TCTs: Work with course teams to design units and analyze student work for rigor.
• Foster Student Agency & Inclusivity: Support all learners to ask questions and share findings.

Skills

Reading & analysis

Communication

Collaboration

Job description

Job Title: Science Teacher
Reports to: Science Division Head
Terms and Conditions: Full-time, 10 months, 183 day teacher calendar.
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary: Per Faculty Senate collective bargaining agreement, initial placement on the salary schedule between BA and MA+60 depending on the educational level, and Step 1 and 5 depending on experience. Includes full benefits package.

OPRF – WHO WE ARE…

Oak Park and River Forest High School or OPRF is a comprehensive public high school located in Oak Park, IL, a suburb eight miles due west of downtown Chicago. We are a one-school district, with the majority of our students coming from two sender districts, River Forest Public Schools District 90 and Oak Park Elementary School District 97. We offer more than 200 courses, a variety of programs for students with special needs, 75 clubs and activities, and 29 competitive sports. We prepare our students well for post-secondary success, with an average ACT composite score of 24 and a 94% graduation rate.

Oak Park and River Forest are communities that highly value diversity. OPRF is a founding member of the national Minority Student Achievement Network, and our school is racially and economically diverse, with about 48% of our 3,300 students identifying as African-American, Hispanic, multiracial, or Asian. Our villages have long embraced the LGBTQ community, and we have a significant mix of homeowners and renters.

We seek faculty and staff who have high expectations for all students, and who value student voice in education. As a school, we are particularly focused on closing opportunity gaps for our students of color and other under-represented groups. OPRF is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. OPRF’s goal is to increase the diversity of its workforce.

Qualifications:

1. Valid Illinois Professional Educator’s License with Physics and Chemistry endorsement required.
2. Commitment to equity and and creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an innovative, student-centered educator to join our Science Division with a dual teaching assignment in AP Physics 1 and Physics-Chemistry. The ideal candidate embraces "the power of doing," prioritizing practice-based mastery and transferable skill development over traditional rote memorization. A key element of the Physics-Chemistry assignment involves co-teaching alongside a Special Education educator to deliver an inclusive, highly supported curriculum. This position requires a skilled collaborator who thrives in team-oriented environments—both in a co-taught classroom and within a Teacher Collaboration Team (TCT)—to guarantee equitable, high-quality learning experiences for all students.

Key Responsibilities & Instructional Commitments

• Partner in a Co-Taught Classroom: Collaborate interdependently with a Special Education co-teacher in Physics-Chemistry to co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess, utilizing flexible co-teaching models to meet diverse learning needs and maintain an inclusive classroom culture.
• Facilitate Discourse-Driven Inquiry: Design and lead classroom experiences rooted in driving phenomena and guided inquiry, fostering student-led discourse, active sense‑making, and deep conceptual understanding across all student readiness levels.
• Assess & Track Transferable Skills: Align grading and assessment practices with core scientific competencies—investigation, modeling, data synthesis, and evidence-based communication—utilizing accommodations and scaffolded rubrics to support individual student growth.
• Cultivate a Safe, Iterative Classroom Culture: Normalize the scientific process by framing mistakes, model revisions, and data recalibrations as essential steps toward mastery rather than academic penalties.
• Collaborate in High-Functioning TCTs: Work productively with course-level teams to co-design units, analyze student work, refine instructional strategies, and ensure consistency of rigorous, accessible science content across sections.
• Foster Student Agency & Inclusivity: Empower every learner to engage in authentic scientific thinking, providing the necessary supports for students of all abilities to ask original questions, investigate real-world phenomena, and communicate their findings collaboratively.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job may involve supervision of student teachers and/or teaching assistants.

Skills, Physical Demands and the Work Environment.

In order to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform all essential duties and responsibilities. The requirements listed below are representative of the skills, physical demands, and work environment required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Skills Required

The employee in this position must have the ability to …

• read, analyze, and interpret documents including correspondence in print or electronic formats;
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with all members of the school community; and
• communicate clearly and concisely in verbal or written form.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to …

• sit, stand, talk and hear for extended periods of time, operate electronic equipment; and reach with hands and arms and will repeat actions with the same hand, arm or finger motion;
• have vision abilities required include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus (The ability to withstand long-term use of computer devices is required.);

Work Environment:

• The noise level in the work environment is usually low. However, on occasion, the noise level will be moderate.
• Work is usually conducted indoors.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive listing of the duties performed in this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may

Please, no phone calls. The respective hiring manager will review candidates once the job posting closes. If selected to move forward, you will be contacted by phone or email. After reviewing the job posting, if you have any questions, please send an email to [e-mail].

Oak Park & River Forest High School District 200 (OPRF) is an Equal Opportunity Employer