Position description: 

At Island Grown Initiative, we see education as foundational to making the long-term changes we seek in the food system. The Island Grown Schools Educator implements farm to school programming with kindergarten through high school students and families in our community. The Island Grown Schools Educator maintains robust gardens at schools and offers standards-based lessons on food, farming, cooking and nutrition in the classroom and garden. This is a full-time, 40 hour a week position. 

Principal responsibilities:

School gardens: 35%

• Plan and implement the planting and maintenance of school gardens throughout the year.
• Create an accessible and inclusive outdoor learning environment for multiple learning styles.
• Engage school community in garden projects and encourage ownership of the garden.

Classroom: 35%

• Implement age appropriate curriculum based on IGS units and learning goals.
• Communicate with teachers to tie lessons in their curriculum.
• Meet with teachers and IGS staff to continue to develop relevant curriculum connections, new lessons, projects and activities.

Cafeteria/Harvest of the Month: 10%

• Communicate with the food service directors regarding Harvest of the Month items featured in the school lunches
• Host Harvest of the Month raffles. 
• Incorporate Harvest of the Month lessons into your curriculum
• Grow Harvest of the Month crops in the garden.

After school clubs: 15%

• Plan, advertise and facilitate garden and/or cooking clubs at schools when possible, during one or all of the fall, winter and spring seasons.

Field trips: 5%

• Connect schools to local farms and farmers during relevant lessons/units.
• Schedule field trips with schools and farmers.
• Facilitate field trips when appropriate.

What we’re looking for:

• Love of working with children 
• Passion for creating a regenerative food system 
• Experience in garden or farm-based education a plus
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team
• Classroom management skills 
• Knowledge of age-appropriate content and capabilities