The Garden Educator will teach class offerings for our TK-5th grade students and 2 Special Education classes in the Edna Maguire School Garden. The position will begin in August 2025. The Garden Educator will join an enthusiastic team, including the Garden Manager, talented school teachers, supportive board members, and eager volunteers. This position is ideal for someone adaptable, who is passionate about engaging with youth, skilled at crafting creative and meaningful outdoor learning experiences for young children, and eager to grow. The Garden Educator will teach students at the school and cultivate relationships with teachers/families/administrators, support growth and maintain the garden, manage projects to continue the expansion and development of our non-profit, and help us co-create an enriching educational framework.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Teaching

• Lead consistent, meaningful, accessible, enriching, age-appropriate garden classes fo students in Pre-K(TK) - 5th grade outdoors in the garden.
• Plan and assemble lessons, including but not limited to: NGSS state-science frameworks, Social-emotional learning, skill-building, art, food justice, botany, ecology,
  math, nutrition, cooking, stewardship, language arts, community service, and more.
• Coordinate with school teachers to offer age-appropriate and curriculum-relevant class experiences in the garden.
• Supervise students who spend their lunch recess in the garden, providing guidance within their free exploration.

Education Operations

• Curriculum development: implement the FMVCG standardized grade-specific garden curriculum and continue to adapt it for changing needs and learning goals.
• Maintain the organization and cleanliness of the outdoor classroom, indoor classroom, and storage spaces.
• Engage and inform public visitors and school families in the friendly, welcoming voice of the non-profit.
• Assist with social media content creation and communicating recent garden class moments.
• Maintain regular email communication with classroom teachers and school administration.

Gardening

• Collaborate with the garden team to ensure the garden spaces are consistent with long-term enrichment goals. Which includes assisting with garden care and
  maintenance: helping design crop layout, maintaining the fruit orchard and raised beds, harvesting and processing food, caring for chickens.
• Work with the garden team towards fundraising goals in our yearly Spring Plant Sale and periodic Harvest Box/Flower Bouquet sales.
• Effectively delegate and utilize volunteer support for garden classes, maintenancenprojects, and Monthly Work Parties.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Teamwork: highly motivated, positive, organized, adaptable, collaborative
• Leadership: reliable, comfortable with leading classes, capable of delegating, guidingbgroups, and working independently
• Communication: effective, direct, clear, solutions-oriented, timely, supportive
• Teaching: experienced with teaching young children outside
• Gardening: experienced with growing plants, food production, and/or basic landscaping
• Organization: Computer proficiency and punctuality with email communication
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• In-depth, working knowledge of organic gardening: planting/harvesting schedules, crop rotation, orchard care, soil and compost, irrigation systems, IPM, etc.
• 2+ years experience with creating and teaching garden classes, specializing with elementary-aged children.
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, Education, or related subjects.
• Familiarity with NGSS state-science standards.
• Interest in creative, progressive community-building.