Job Opportunity: Seasonal Outdoor Educator

Description: 

Seasonal Outdoor Educators facilitate seasonal, outdoor, farm-based education programs for a diverse community of learners in our “perennial programs” (seasonally recurring, on-farm, children’s programs) as well as field trips, school visits, and adult workshops. Seasonal Outdoor Educators occasionally participate in fairs and farmers’ markets to help with educational outreach and to support educational engagements. Seasonal Outoor Educators work both independently and collaboratively alongside other educators, and under the supervision of the Director of Education and the Outdoor Education Supervisor, to facilitate and grow the perennial programs. We seek individuals with a high level of accountability, passion for our mission and interest in educating, inspiring and growing community learners. 

 

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate recurring WFCF on-farm program(s) for the duration of the designated program season.

• Select lessons from WFCF curriculum resources and program content received from supervisors to create a program schedule of activities, with freedom to suggest new activities or lessons in line with our mission of connecting people to their food and the land from which it grows.

• Prepare materials or supervise support staff to prepare for each program session as needed, including program session set-up and breakdown, food preparation, copies, craft supplies, project samples, or other resource materials.

• Communicate and regularly meet with the Director of Education to maintain an open flow of communication.

• Interact with program participants in an enthusiastic and friendly manner.

• Work with learners to complete gardening tasks from a predetermined list to maintain the garden and educational spaces as part of program sessions. 

• Display understanding of education program guiding principles by implementing emergent curriculum and experiential learning strategies to facilitate hands-on learning.

• Manage educational areas to ensure environments are safe, clean and organized between sessions and between seasons.

• Assist and support seasonal transitions by completing reorganization, cleaning, sorting and inventories as requested by supervisors. 

• Assist with record-keeping, attendance management and check in, communication with parents, incident or injury reports, and outreach-based communications as approved by supervisors.

• Communicate with parents as their first contact, and relay necessary information to the Outdoor Education Supervisor.

 

Qualifications: 

• Must pass CORI and hold current CPR/First Aid certification.  

• Experience and enthusiasm for working with children and families. 

• Knowledge of sustainable farming/gardening or willingness to learn.

• Experience working in the field of environmental education and/or outdoor learning preferred.

• Friendly, reliable, creative, organized and self-motivated.

 

Schedule:

Lead Educators may choose from one or more of the presented programs (see below) to create their seasonal schedule. Selected programs and session dates must be set with the Director of Education at least 2 weeks in advance of the start date of the program.  Depending on availability, hours worked may average anywhere from 5 to 20 hours per week, with the bulk of hours scheduled in the summer months (20 - 30 hours per week). 

• Start Dates by Season: 
  • Winter: January 25 - March 31
  • Spring: April 1 - May 31
  • Summer: June 15 - August 31
  • Fall: September 1 - October 31  
  • Extended Fall: November 1 - December 16

 

WFCF Programs:

Winter, Spring, Fall, Extended Fall : Little Sprouts; After School ; Teen Leadership Corps ; Enrichment Field Trips and School Visits.

Summer : Summer on the Farm Day Program ; Enrichment field trips and school visits.

 

Terms of Employment: 

Each year, employees are required to provide necessary documentation including, but not limited to, a copy of their driver’s license, documentation for form  I-9, and agreement to have a CORI background check completed. WFCF requires adherence to our wellness and COVID-19 precautions and company handbook policies. Municipal and State-Wide vaccination requirements and masking policies set forth by the City of Waltham.

This is a non-exempt, temporary, hourly position, with specific hours varying according to the education program schedule and organizational needs. The Lead Educator is responsible for programs as scheduled and may include PreK, School Age, Teen and Adult/Family program series. This position may sign up for additional hours to lead field trips, school visits, workshops, or participate in educational fairs and farm market tabling if desired, but not required. Lead Educators are paid for specified planning and preparation time in addition to facilitating all program sessions as scheduled; planning hours will be scheduled with the WFCF Director of Education. 

 

Compensation:

$15.00 - $18.00/hour, depending on experience

 

Benefits:

Staff receive a 20% discount at our farm store. Sick time is provided in accordance to MA state law.

 

To Apply: 

Please apply directly to Director of Education, Jessica Herwick, by emailing a cover letter and resume to jessica@communityfarms.org  Please note Seasonal Lead Educator Application in the title of the email.