Preschool Teacher

Teach at a school where children are known, not managed.

My name is Luna Pecoraro. I am the founder of Bella Daycare — San Diego’s Italian-English daycare, loved by families with five-star reviews — and the creator of The Bella Method™. Now I am opening Bella Preschool in Pacific Beach: a licensed center for 70 children, from infants through pre-kindergarten. I am looking for teachers to help me build it from the very first day.

I started Bella because when I was searching for a preschool for my own children, I couldn’t find one that truly reflected what I believed children deserved. I dreamed of a place where children were not only taught letters and numbers but were genuinely loved, respected, and celebrated for who they are. A place where a child having a difficult morning is welcomed with a warm hug instead of being rushed through the door. When I couldn’t find that school, I decided to build it — and I am building it with teachers who believe what I believe.

This is a fresh start: a new license, a new team, new standards, and a culture built deliberately from day one. You will not be inheriting someone else’s classroom habits. You will be helping set ours.

Why Bella is different

Everything we do rests on The Bella Method™, our framework for caring for and teaching young children:

• Bring positivity — fun, smiles, eye contact, excitement. We are playful and joyous, and we start every day by asking, “What can we do to bring joy into our childcare?”
• Empathy — every child feels safe, because we put ourselves in their shoes.
• Listening — active listening, confirming we understand each child’s desires and frustrations.
• Love — warmth and human connection. A hug has never hurt a child who is suffering.
• Aptitude — every child has a unique natural gift. We don’t dictate what it is. We celebrate it, encourage it, and reward it — kindness, humor, building, anything.

Academics matter here, and so does something more: we teach children to be good humans. Please and thank you. Patience. Empathy. Being ready to help when someone is hurt. Children will forget many of the lessons we teach, but they will never forget how we made them feel.

What you will do

• Care for and teach toddlers and preschoolers in a warm, joyful, play-based classroom — following each child’s interests and deliberately building on them.
• Greet every child by name, at their level, every morning. When someone is attempting something, cheer them on.
• Celebrate each child’s unique strength — at Bella, every child earns their crown, and we don’t dictate what counts as a gift.
• Prepare children for kindergarten through delight, not drill: language, early literacy, math, science, art, music, and movement — with plenty of hands-on work that builds motor skills.
• Partner with families through daily communication, honest conversations, and real warmth. Parents are our partners, never our audience.
• Keep your classroom safe, healthy, and compliant with California licensing standards, and communicate openly and respectfully with your team.

Who you are

• Patient. Children do not develop on a schedule that is convenient for adults, and you would never hurry them.
• Fun and positive. You bring smiles, energy, and playfulness into the room with you.
• Understanding. With children, with parents, and with your teammates.
• A communicator. Clear, kind, honest, and respectful — good communication and mutual respect are how our team works.
• Here for the long term. We are building something meant to last, and we want teachers who want a home, not a stopover.

What you will need

• Qualification as a teacher under California Title 22 — typically 12 postsecondary semester units in early childhood education or child development (including the core courses), with at least 6 months of experience in a licensed child care center; or a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit or higher.
• Units in infant/toddler care are a plus (we proudly serve infants).
• Experience teaching in a licensed preschool or childcare center preferred — but a wonderful heart and the right units matter more to us than a long resume.
• Criminal background clearance (Live Scan), TB clearance, current immunizations, pediatric CPR and First Aid, and mandated reporter training. We will help you complete any outstanding items after an offer.

Pay, schedule, and benefits

This is a full-time, on-site position, Monday through Friday, at our Pacific Beach campus (center hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.). Pay is $22.00–$24.00 per hour depending on your experience and credentials, with a competitive benefits package. We believe children are cared for well only by adults who are cared for well — that is written into our objectives, and it starts with how we treat you.

“Children will forget many of the lessons we teach, but they will never forget how we made them feel.” — Luna

Pay: $22.00 - $24.00 per hour

Work Location: In person