Science and Arts Academy

Science and Arts Academy in Des Plaines, Illinois, educates about 250 gifted students from preschool through middle school. As a day school, it offers a different teaching model than residential independent schools. The curriculum spans French, Latin, and Spanish alongside core sciences and arts. Students make connections across subjects rather than studying them in isolation.

Teaching gifted learners here means real autonomy over pacing and depth. A third-grader might spend weeks on one science unit, linking it to art projects and language work. You design the sequence—not a textbook. Most teachers in conventional schools never get that control. It changes how you plan and what you can accomplish in a room.

The day school structure shapes your daily life differently too. You commute, teach, design curriculum, support students during hours, then leave. No dorm duty. No evening events. That boundary between work and home is clean and predictable. Many independent school teachers prefer it.

Science and Arts Academy maintains solid financial footing. Net assets exceed $3.8 million, and fundraising grew 29 percent in 2024. That stability funds competitive salaries, classroom resources, and the curriculum freedom the school promises. Benefits typically include health coverage, retirement contributions, and professional development funds.

The school hires for elementary and middle school teaching positions, curriculum roles, student services, and administrative staff. Steady enrollment growth suggests consistent openings. If you want gifted instruction, interdisciplinary design, schedule predictability, and day school life without residential duties, this model delivers all of it.