Teaching Position: Visiting Tech Artist

Independent Contractor---- Start Date: Immediately

The School...

Vistamar School is an independent college preparatory day school serving grades 9-12. The Vistamar experience is guided by its mission which rests on three pillars: challenging academics that engage and inspire students; an intimate atmosphere that supports students with caring relationships; and a diverse community that encourages the authentic exchange of perspectives and leads students to be comfortable crossing cultural boundaries. Vistamar believes there’s a better way to do high school.

Vistamar School serves a highly diverse population of students from over 60 zip codes in LA in grades 9-12, supported by a generous program of Moderated Tuition. Approximately 33% of our students participate in our Moderated Tuition program. Approximately 50% of faculty, staff, and students self-identify as people of color. We seek to attract a faculty and student body who bring a diversity of thought and culture to our school community, and who will be committed to ensuring that we provide an inclusive environment for the respectful exchange of multiple perspectives. Vistamar is located in the easternmost section of El Segundo.  The school is close to major freeway interchanges and is well-serviced by public transportation, including a commuter rail station.

The Opportunity...

You will be joining us as a Visiting Technical Artist for the Visual and Performing Arts Department for our Theater program. The VPA Department seeks to help students build a creative foundation with the tools and techniques to effectively express themselves; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; a sense of the individual, artistic impulse; skills in communication and collaboration through various artistic endeavors; an understanding and appreciation of the arts and their contribution to a vibrant cultural life at school. All students are currently required to take 2 full-year courses of visual or performing arts. Students often take a wide variety of arts courses as electives beyond the graduation requirement.

Visiting Tech Artist Program 

Vistamar School’s VPA Department is dedicated to bridging the gap between emerging talent and industry expertise through our Visiting Tech Artist program. Our vision is to cultivate a vibrant and dynamic learning environment where professionals in stage management, costume design, prop creation, scenic, lighting, and sound design mentor and guide our students to develop work-ready skills in critical analysis and creative thinking. By connecting experienced artists with our students, we aim to enhance their educational experience, foster their professional growth, and inspire their creativity. This program not only enriches students' understanding of the technical and artistic aspects of theater production but also builds a lasting legacy of knowledge and mentorship. Through ongoing engagement, we strive to provide invaluable, hands-on training that prepares our students for successful careers in the arts, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and insights needed to thrive in a competitive industry.

Qualifications

We are seeking dedicated and experienced Visiting Design and Tech Artists to work within our Theatre Department to mentor and guide our students through the process of creating and implementing designs and other theatre specifics for school productions. The role requires expertise in various aspects of stage management, costume design, prop creation, and additional support in scenic, lighting, and sound design. Ideal candidates will be passionate about nurturing the next generation of tech artists and providing hands-on training to enhance their skills and understanding of professional practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Mentorship and Instruction:
• Provide guidance and instruction to tech and design students in the creation and implementation of their designs for school productions.
• Focus areas include stage management, costume and prop design, with additional support for scenic, lighting, and sound design.
• Teach students how to develop and maintain professional paperwork, including piece lists, cue sheets, magic sheets, and plots, ensuring they understand the importance of tracking and documentation.
• Work Call Supervision:
• Attend and supervise work calls after school after school from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
• Oversee students as they construct scenic elements, props, and costumes, providing hands-on assistance and constructive feedback. Teach and oversee stage management.
• If available, offer additional support during class time in the Production period to assist with design and execution.
• Teach and supervise strike.
• Tech Rehearsal Attendance:
• Attend all tech rehearsals, demonstrating and modeling professional protocol.
• Supervise and support student stage managers, designers, operators, and crew members during tech rehearsals.
• Offer advice and support during design meetings, assisting students in understanding and executing feedback and notes.4. 
• Professional Development:
• Serve as a role model in professional behavior and work ethic, promoting best practices within the student production team.
• Facilitate a learning environment where students can develop practical skills and gain a deeper understanding of technical theater processes.

Ideal Candidates have…

• Proven experience in technical theater, including stage management, costume and prop design and construction, and scenic, lighting, and sound design.
• Strong mentorship and teaching skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with students.
• Excellent organizational skills and proficiency in creating and maintaining professional paperwork related to theater production.
• The ability to model professional behavior and communicate effectively with students, staff, and production teams.

Work Schedule: After-school work calls from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, days to be determined. Attendance at all tech rehearsals and additional time during the Production period as needed, including strike.

Application Process: Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to juliannarees@vistamarschool.org 

Pay rate: $35-$45/hour, depending on experience

Vistamar School is a 501c3 non-profit corporation that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

About Vistamar School

Vistamar School is a college preparatory, co-educational, independent day school that serves a very diverse population of students in grades 9-12, supported by a generous program of Moderated Tuition. Approximately 35% of our students participate in our Moderated Tuition program, and approximately 50% of our students identify as students of color. As described in our mission statement, we seek to attract a faculty and student body who bring diversity of thought and culture to our school community, and who will be committed to ensuring that we provide an inclusive environment for the respectful exchange of multiple perspectives. Since our opening in 2005, enrollment has grown steadily to 280 students, who are drawn from over 50 different middle schools and over 35 different zip codes in greater Los Angeles. We will add faculty and classrooms incrementally as we approach our target enrollment of 300. Vistamar is located in the eastern-most section of El Segundo. The school is close to major freeway interchanges and is well serviced by public transportation, including a commuter rail station. Both tuition and salaries are competitive with other Los Angeles- area independe...nt schools. Vistamar is fully accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and holds institutional memberships in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Council of International Schools (CIS).

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