Garden Educator

Year-Round, Hourly

Reports to: Grow Academy Lead ESY Educator

Position Summary: 

The Garden Educator is involved in teaching garden classes and is responsible for maintaining a year-round productive and educational organic garden. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Maintains garden as stated in the garden handbook
• Maintains garden at a level that ensures ample produce to the Kitchen classroom.
• Involved in all garden classes, guiding students through propagation, harvesting, cultivation, composting, greenhouse production, and maintenance of the garden
• Collaborates with the Lead Garden Educator and garden staff on the design of grade-appropriate garden activities
• Assists with soil fertility, composting, garden planning, seed supply, pruning, irrigation, pest and disease management and small-scale chicken husbandry
• Maintains garden records
• Helps maintain garden equipment
• Collaborates with the Lead Garden Educator on the execution of grade appropriate garden skills, activities, and lessons
• Maintains communication with kitchen staff about garden production and available produce. 
• Assists in planning and executing events at fall, winter, and summer camps and seasonal events throughout the school year 
• Other related duties as assigned

All Garden Staff Will: 

• Participate in the implementation, set up and teaching of daily lessons
• Participate in ESY Summer Camp during Summer Intercession
• Maintain garden facilities, equipment and inventory including tool shed, chicken coop, greenhouse and all hand tools
• Teaches or participates as needed in the kitchen
• Participate in all staff meetings, garden walk throughs, professional development, and scheduled ESY professional development days 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Ability to work with elementary and middle school students in an educational environment
• Ability to maintain order and safe working practices in a garden and kitchen setting with young students
• Strong knowledge of the principles of gardening
• Ability to interact positively and effectively with a variety of constituents including students, co-workers, parents, and teachers 
• Ability to work collaboratively

Education and Experience:

• Gardening experience (preferred)
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Background in agriculture, horticulture, liberal arts, education or related fields preferred

Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Ability to work safely in summer weather (100° )
• Ability to stand, stoop, reach, and bend
• Ability to stand for long periods 
• Ability to lift, push and/or pull objects (up to approximately 50 pounds)
• Ability to read small print
• Ability to work with and in the proximity of equipment with moving mechanical parts
• Ability to work outdoors in a physically demanding environment 
• Ability to smell, taste and feel to determine the quality of raw food products
• Ability to work around loud noise