Job – School Garden Educators

Grow Portland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to hands-on, culturally-responsive school garden education. We partner with 14 public elementary schools serving over 6,000 students each month. Grow Portland’s Garden School program uses school garden education to teach elementary students about environmental science and healthy eating. We place skilled garden educators in public schools to provide garden instruction and to facilitate productive garden management in partnership with teachers, administrators, and parents.

We are hiring two full-time positions (.85 FTE) and one half-time position. These positions will instruct and coordinate our garden education program at 3-4 schools each (see below). We welcome applications from people with passion and skills working in ethnically diverse communities. Grow Portland values all life, work and educational experience that supports teaching students about gardening—we encourage you to apply and look forward to the possibility of working with you!

Job Description

Garden School Educators lead Grow Portland’s school gardening program at assigned public elementary schools. The Educator provides garden-based education, garden maintenance and leads the engagement of teachers and parents with the support of Grow Portland leadership staff.

Positions:

• 1 Full-time Educator (.85 FTE with approx. 35 hrs/week) will teach at 4 schools.
• 1 Full-time Educator (.85 FTE with approx. 35 hrs/week) will teach at 4 schools.
• 1 Part-time Educator (approx. 20 hrs/week) will teach at 3 schools.

Hours & Compensation:

$19-22/hr (Depending on experience) + generous health benefits and paid time off.

Hours vary depending on position with a minimum of 20 hrs/week.

Mid-August 2019 thru mid-June 2020, with option to renew contract for 2020-21 school year.

Possible part-time summer employment in 2020.

Apply by July 8, 2019 (details below)

Roles & Responsibilities

• Garden education
• Teach hands-on, academically-supported garden lessons to K-5th grade classes (with classroom teacher support) on pre-scheduled garden days.
• Provide indoor garden-themed lessons during extreme winter weather as needed.
• Lead students in hands-on planting activities.
• Effectively connect culturally diverse students to the natural world with an appreciation for diverse learning abilities and needs.
• Gardens Site Management
• Create and maintain a productive, safe and engaging school garden environment where all students can thrive.
• Collaborate with school staff, parent volunteers and students to complete basic management of school gardens (planting, watering, weeding, mulching, etc.). Lead the management of school garden sites through direct work and/or coordination of garden work with parent volunteers through work parties and other events.
• Keep Garden School supplies and tools well stocked and organized (seeds, soil amendments, tools, etc.).
• Harvest and coordinate food for cafeterias and food pantries when possible.
• Partnership, Community Building, and Management
• Facilitate productive relationships with teachers, administrators, parents and students through regular communication.
• Orient teachers and parents on expectations and protocols of the program at the beginning of the school year with meetings and print/emailed materials.
• Promote parent and community involvement in the gardens.
• Provide monthly photo updates to school and parent leaders.
• Planning and Scheduling
• Work with lead teachers and administrators to schedule days and times for classes before the school year starts.
• Adapt Grow Portland curriculum to be site-specific and support the needs of different grades, cultures and learning abilities. Work toward lesson integration with academic standards such as Next Generation Science Standards.
• Attend monthly Grow Portland staff meetings. Collaborate and share curriculum adaptations and best practices with Grow Portland educators.
• Evaluation and Tracking
• Complete monthly progress reports and tracking forms.
• Measure student learning progress through Grow Portland end-of-year student evaluations.
• Distribute bi-annual online teacher evaluations.
• Invite program testimonials from parents, teachers, administrators, and students.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, creative, and flexible, and have a passion for outdoor education, gardening, and nutrition, in addition to the following:

• Minimum 1 year working with elementary-aged children in school gardens/farms, or other outdoor settings- solid understanding of outdoor teaching practices (managing up to 35 children in a school garden) and hands-on learning.
• A high level of energy and patience sufficient to lead 5-6 garden classes in a day.
• Excellent communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Experience working with diverse ethnic groups and cultures. Commitment to culturally-responsive teaching practices.
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently on self-directed tasks in an organized and timely manner. Meet deadlines, multitask and balance priorities.
• Passion for spending the majority of time outdoors. Able to perform strenuous physical work including heavy lifting and working in all weather conditions.
• Basic computer skills: Gmail, Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
• Access to reliable transportation for moving supplies between school sites.
• In addition to the qualifications above, we invite applicants who may have the following additional education, skills, and knowledge.
• Hold a degree in education or a related field with a focus on conservation, environmental studies, agriculture/gardening, OR 2) A combination of experience, training and/or education that provides the necessary directly relevant skills, knowledge and abilities to perform assigned tasks.

Have knowledge of or experience with:

• Gardening, farming, environmental education, or a related field.
• Growing organic vegetables in the Pacific Northwest: crop planning, soil fertility, weed management, irrigation.
• Teaching cooking to youth in educational settings.
• Basic components of STEM, Common Core, and Next Generation Science Standards.

TO APPLY BY JULY 8, 2019 please send the following as one PDF file to growportland@gmail.com:

1. Cover letter (1 page).
2. Resume with three professional references (2 pages max).
3. Answers to the following questions (1 page max):
   1. Why do you think school garden education is important?
   2. What does equity mean to you and how do you see this position working to support equity in schools?
   3. We are hiring two full-time positions and one half-time position. Please tell us which one best fits your interest and availability.
   4. How did you hear about this position?

Questions: Email Djamila Moore, Education Director, at dmoore@growportland.org