Art Teacher 1.0 FTE

Required Certification: WI 1550 - Art (PK/K-12)

Ideal Decision: 2 weeks after the closing date

Meeting the Needs of Every Learner, Every Day: The McFarland School District is seeking an Art Teacher, beginning the 2026-27 school year at McFarland Primary School, our Kindergarten through second-grade building. Our mission is Meeting the Needs of Every Learner, Every Day. We are an equitable and inclusive community committed to student belonging, achievement, and growth. We are seeking an educator who understands early childhood development and believes that art is a process where young children explore, experiment, build skills through play, and develop confidence as creative thinkers.

What Your Day Will Look Like: As an Elementary Art Teacher, you will design hands-on, developmentally appropriate experiences that support creativity, fine motor growth, confidence, and joyful self-expression in young learners. Your work will include:

• Building strong, caring relationships with students, families, and colleagues
• Creating a warm, predictable, and joyful art room where students feel safe to explore, experiment, and take creative risks
• Designing learning experiences rooted in exploration, play, process, and hands-on making
• Teaching foundational art concepts through drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, collage, design, and mixed media
• Supporting students in developing creativity, imagination, persistence, and confidence through open-ended artistic experiences
• Supporting learners of all abilities and backgrounds, including multilingual learners and students with disabilities
• Collaborating closely with classroom teachers, related arts staff, special education teams, interventionists, EL staff, and administrators, along with the district-wide art teaching team
• Using proactive classroom management grounded in PBIS and trauma sensitive practices
• Budgeting for, ordering, organizing, and maintaining materials, tools, and displays while teaching students responsibility for shared resources
• Celebrating student learning through displays, exhibitions, and school and district-wide sharing of student work
• Participating in collaborative team meetings, professional learning, and schoolwide events

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Loves working with young children and understands early childhood development
• Believes children learn best through hands-on exploration, sensory experiences, and creative play
• Brings warmth, humor, patience, energy, and creativity to teaching and learning
• Creates an art room that feels joyful, safe, and centered on curiosity and belonging
• Builds strong relationships while maintaining clear, consistent, and supportive expectations
• Values collaboration and contributes positively to a strong student centered team culture
• Communicates effectively and compassionately with families and colleagues
• Is reflective, growth oriented, and committed to continuous learning
• Uses culturally responsive and inclusive teaching practices that honor student identity and voice
• Balances foundational skill instruction with open-ended creative exploration and student choice
• Designs learning experiences that are accessible and developmentally appropriate for all learners
• Demonstrates knowledge of the Wisconsin Art and Design Standards and or National Core Arts Standards

Why People Stay: Through one-on-one interviews, McFarland staff say making deep connections with colleagues (including administrators) and students help them feel supported in McFarland. Staff who have worked in other districts noted that in McFarland class sizes are lower, special education caseloads are smaller, team budgets are larger, and they are glad to work in a community that supports schools, has a positive climate and a school board who respects teachers. We have a full-time librarian, social worker, school psychologist, and at least one school counselor in each building.

The District: The McFarland School District stands out as one of the top academic districts in Dane County and Wisconsin, offering a strong educational foundation that families and educators are proud of. With an average enrollment of 2,100 to 2,400 students, McFarland is large enough to provide a comprehensive EC-12 academic and co-curricular program, yet small enough to focus on each student''s unique needs. Known statewide for its welcoming atmosphere and student-centered approach, McFarland consistently attracts top-quality staff who enhance our vibrant, thriving community.

What We Offer: The McFarland School District is committed to supporting the well-being of its employees by offering a comprehensive benefits package. Our goal is to provide you and your family with resources that promote health, financial security, and work-life balance. This summary highlights the key components of our benefits offerings, including health insurance, retirement plans, and other valuable benefit options. We take pride in fostering an environment where you can thrive both personally and professionally, ensuring that your contributions to our students and community are supported every step of the way.

The Schools: For more information, visit our school websites:

• McFarland Primary School (K-2) click here.
• Waubesa Intermediate School (3-5) click here.
• Indian Mound Middle School (6-8) click here.
• McFarland High School (9-12) click here.

APPLICATION: ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE VIA WECAN @ (http://wecan.education.wisc.edu/). Please submit all materials through WECAN (i.e., letter of application, resume, letters of reference, and transcripts).

HIRING AUTHORITY: Greg Nelson, Principal, 6009 Johnson Street, McFarland, WI 53558 608-838-4602, NelsonG1@mcfsd.org.

TITLE IX - COMPLIANCE: McFarland School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation (including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity), English language proficiency, age, military status, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability in its education programs or in employment. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title IX may be directed to: SCHOOL DISTRICT OF MCFARLAND 5101 Farwell Street McFarland, WI 53558 or to the Director of the Office of Civil Rights, Dept. of Health, Education & Welfare, Washington DC.