Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – People with teaching licenses have a chance to get jobs at District 186 – especially if they know American Sign Language.

Superintendent Jennifer Gill says job fairs continue, as “we have 33 paraprofessional positions open right now,” about half the number from one year ago.

As for ASL, a new curriculum the school district wanted to introduce this semester, “we have an open post,” Gill said. “We’ll start with one (ASL teacher), but we would love to have multiple.

“We have had that open post since last March.”

Based on the administrations’ conversations with Illinois State University, not many aspiring teachers are entering that specialty.

As for the overall personnel picture, Gina McLaughlin-Schurman, the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources, said while many substitutes are on the job, awaiting the issue of licenses, “we do have an adult and a supervisor in every room.”