Company description

Started in 2017, our grassroots mission is to foster a robust food system in Western Maine by bringing people together to ensure access to nutritious food, promote local farmers, and advocate for food-related programs and policies that strengthen our communities. Through a focus on networking, community building, and education, our food council works to increase the capacity of existing efforts and talents within our community.  We envision a local food system that nourishes and educates all, provides a livelihood for farmers and food producers, and stewards the local and global environment.

Job description

School Garden Coach

Coordinates with: Local school Green Teams, School Garden teachers’ group (SING), Healthy Community Coalition SNAP ED program, and Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Gleaning Group

Works With: Direct school garden program delivery and support at Mallett School, Cascade Brook School, Academy Hill School, Cushing School, Phillips Elementary School, and Kingfield Elementary School. Collaborates with other schools in Franklin County in the S.I.N.G. (Schools Integrating Nutrition and Gardening) group. 

Job Overview

The School Garden Coach is a part time position based on roughly 800 hours per year with a large portion of hours in September/October and May/June. The garden coach works with school staff to deliver the Growing Gardeners curriculum using on site school gardens. The garden coach supports efforts to maintain school gardens, especially over the summer break.  This position will ensure accurate data collection for grant reporting and will work closely with the Executive Director to assume grant writing responsibilities over time. 

Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide vehicle and transportation to school work sites, with mileage reimbursement
• Deliver school garden lessons using the Growing Gardeners curriculum
• Lead S.I.N.G. meetings to convene schools with school garden programming throughout the county
• Convene and support “Green Teams” at partner schools to engage teachers in school garden programming
• Build capacity at each school to ensure school gardens are maintained over the summer
• Set up and maintain systems so that data for grants can be collected at each school
• Reports to GFFC Executive Director monthly, attends GFFC steering committee meetings twice a year for program updates
• Other related assignments as necessary

Education/Qualifications

• Associates degree or equivalent experience
• Gardening - 2+ years
• Relevant experience working with school age children
• Ability to adapt to different school cultures and possess a “can-do” attitude when adapting programming to different schools

Physical Requirements/Other Requirements

• Work outside and indoors based on program activities
• Ability to bend, lift, carry, kneel, crouch, and stand as needed to complete tasks
• Lift 50 lbs, primarily in transporting garden supplies to schools
• Active drivers license, reliable transportation & insurance 
• Personal computer with internet access to use in a remote/home work space

 

Compensation and Benefits

• $25/hour wage
• Mileage reimbursement
• Supply budget and reimbursement
• $500 a year remote office stipend

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

February 01, 2025