The San Diego Unified School District is currently accepting applications for the position of VAPA Teacher. This opportunity is open to all interested candidates.

 

OVERVIEW:

San Diego Unified School District, the second largest district in California and one of the top largest urban school districts in the United States, is looking for professionals who care deeply for students and are committed to the communities in which they serve.

  

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

Because each person is born with inherent worth and dignity, and because equitable access and opportunity are essential to a just, educated society, San Diego Unified employee commitments include being respectful of differences and diverse perspectives, and being accountable for one’s actions and the resulting impact.  

 

POSITION SPECIFICS:

• Working Location: Early Learning Department - 4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103
• VAPA Funded position for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP).
• Experience in the following is preferred, but not required:
• Knowledge of play-based, hands-on, and whole-child early learning principles.

• Experience designing and integrating joyful, developmentally appropriate arts experiences into play-based environments.

• Ability to implement inclusive practices and adapt arts experiences for children with diverse learning needs.

• Skill in honoring and responding to children’s individual cultures, languages, identities, and self-expression.

• Track record of building positive, responsive relationships with young children, families, teachers, and staff.

• Experience collaborating with site and district staff to align with early learning and district goals.

• Commitment to participating in ongoing professional learning focused on early childhood arts integration and inclusive practices.

• This application requires you to respond to position-specific questions in your submitted online application. These questions are identified below in the APPLICATION INFORMATION section.

Examples of Duties:

 

The VAPA Teacher assigned to support Early Learning is responsible for supporting the goals of Prop 28 - Arts and Music in Schools. Focusing on Visual arts and Musical arts to support the language development of CSPP students. 

 

The incumbent will expected to:

• Deliver engaging, hands-on music, movement, visual arts, dance, and drama activities that encourage curiosity, creative risk-taking, and whole-child development.
• Use songs, rhymes, storytelling, puppetry, and open-ended conversations to model rich language, build vocabulary, and strengthen children's oral communication skills.
• Blend visual and performing arts (VAPA) into daily preschool routines, play centers, and classroom themes.
• Adapt materials, strategies, and experiences so all children—including those with disabilities and diverse learning needs—can participate meaningfully and succeed.
• Plan learning experiences that respond to children’s individual developmental levels, cultures, languages, interests, and identities.
• Build warm, positive relationships with children to create a supportive space where they feel safe to express themselves.
• Collaborate with classroom teachers to align arts experiences with Preschool/TK Learning Foundations and co-identify language development opportunities.
• Share arts-based strategies, songs, and resources with classroom teachers to help them confidently incorporate VAPA throughout the school day.
• Observe children's creative growth and language development to refine instruction and share insights with teachers and families.
• Collaborate with site and district staff to continuously enhance early childhood arts integration across high-quality learning environments.
• Complete other job-related responsibilities as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Licenses and Other Requirements: 

Valid California Child Development Permit or Early Childhood Education Permit by the closing date of the application deadline.

 

 

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

 

Application Process

To be eligible for consideration, interested candidates must submit the following items. Your application will be considered incomplete if you do not include all required information, including completion of the Work Experience and Education Sections of the online application, required attachments, and responses to all application questions.

• Online employment application
• A completed online employment application must be submitted/received electronically by the closing date. This application MUST include all required attachments, current and previous employment history and education to evaluate your qualifications, and all other requirements identified in the recruitment and application questions. It is important to note that a resume does not substitute for completing the Work Experience and Education sections. Your application will be considered incomplete if you do not include all relevant details and attachments.
• Paper applications are not accepted.  

• Answer all application questions 
• The application questions should be answered thoroughly, clearly, and concisely as the responses provided (along with the entire application package) will be carefully reviewed to determine which candidates will move forward in the recruitment process.

• Contact information for all previous places of employment where you served in a certificated position must be listed under the 'Employment History' section of the application (Assembly Bill 2534). As of January 1, 2025, in accordance with Education Code section 44939.5 (as amended by California AB 2534) applicants for certificated positions are required by law to provide a complete list of every school district, county office of education, charter school and/or state special school (also known as a Local Education Agency (LEA)) with which you have previously been employed, regardless of the length of service. The District may contact current and former LEAs at any time during the application screening process.

• In accordance with California Assembly Bill 2534, all applicants for certificated positions must provide a complete employment history. Please adhere to the following:

  • List Every Educational Employer: You must include every school district, county office of education, charter school, other educational institutions, or state special school where you have been employed, regardless of your length of service.
  • HR Contact Information: In the Employer Email field, you must provide the email address for that employer's Human Resources or Personnel Office (i.e., not your direct supervisor).

• Note: These email addresses are required to satisfy the employment verification and background requirements mandated by Education Code section 44939.5.

• Contact information for three references must be listed in the 'Reference' section of the application. References should be from a current or previous supervisor. Reference email requests may be sent at any time during the application screening process of this recruitment. These reference requests are not an indication of progression in the recruitment process or an interview opportunity. Written reference letters dated within the last year are also accepted and may be attached to your online application in the Reference Section. 

• Attach required documents (PDF format recommended)
  • Credential
  • Valid California Teaching Credential is required.
  • A copy of your valid California Credential, or equivalent out-of-state credential, MUST be attached to your submitted online application.
  • Detailed instructions to view and print California credential(s) may be found on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing website at this LINK. For other states, please visit the state educator license/credential website.

• Additional documents (optional)
• Cover Letter / Letter of Intent
• Resume
• Letters of Recommendation
• Additional documents, if any, may be attached to the online employment application.

Examination Process

Click here for a view of the entire screening process.

The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidate's education, work history and responses to the supplemental questions. Professional References will be contacted for candidates who are selected to proceed in the examination process.  Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. Candidates selected to proceed in the examination process will be invited to an interview.  Applicants who pass the examination process will be placed on an eligible list for a period of one school year. The eligible list will be used to fill vacancies at various school sites. 

• Position-Specific Questions (Required)

To be considered for this position, you must answer every position-specific question. Failure to answer each position-specific question will result in your application being considered incomplete and disqualify you from further consideration for this recruitment.

 

QUESTION 1: Describe your approach to integrating Visual and Performing Arts into an early childhood classroom. 
QUESTION 2: How would you use music, movement, visual arts, dance, drama, and/or creative expression to support young children’s development while honoring play, exploration, choice, and individual expression? Please provide an example of how you have implemented this approach with young children.
 

Do not upload your answers as an attachment. You will be required to answer each question before submitting your application.

• Additional documents (Optional)

Letters of Recommendation and/or additional documents, if any, must be attached to the online employment application.

 

  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

If you have questions about your application, please email jobs@sandi.net.

 

The San Diego Unified School District communicates information regarding the hiring process via email.  Please be aware that the District is not responsible for messages blocked by your email service. In an effort to allow our emails through your personal spam filter, you can try to add the domain@sandi.net and domain@ted.peopleadmin.com to your safe senders list.  

 

San Diego Unified School District is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying by reason of the following actual or perceived characteristics: age, ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, immigration status, marital or parental status, medical condition, nationality, national origin, actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, or on the basis of a person's association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. 

 

For more information about equity in employment, contact: 

Title II Coordinator & Uniform Complaint Compliance Officer Eric Rico: (619) 725-7225, erico1@sandi.net / Title IX Coordinator Anna Ward:  (619) 725-7225, award2@sandi.net / 504 Coordinator Eri Nall:  (619) 344-6420, enall@sandi.net