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Children's Garden Liaison

Employer
Alexandria City Public Schools
Location
Alexandria, Virginia
Closing date
Jul 19, 2022

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Industry
Education
Function
Childcare
Hours
Full Time
Career Level
Experienced (Non-Manager)

Job Details

Job Description:

The Children's Garden Liaison performs a variety of tasks in the care and upkeep of schoolyard habitats ("learning gardens") at assigned division sites; Provides support to the schools in maintaining, updating, and growing schoolyard habitats and associated learning opportunities in the classroom aligned with ACPS curriculum.

This is a 12-month, 20 hours per week position.

Qualifications:
  • Experience: Previous experience in a school setting; previous experience successfully implementing hands-on environmental education programs utilizing schoolyard habitats.
  • Education: Bachelor's degree.
  • Licenses/Certificates: Valid Virginia Department of Education License or ability to obtain one preferred.

Essential Functions:
  • The Children's Garden Liaison shall coordinate and support the schoolyard habitats at all elementary schools. This includes the following:
    • Maintain and grow the existing habitats at all elementary schools, in collaboration with Facilities staff, teachers, school staff, administrators, and school PTAs. This may require the employee to lift bags of soil up to 50 lbs. This also includes working with schools to create a maintenance schedule for weeding and watering, especially during the summer months.
    • Coordinate with Facilities staff to approve new garden spaces, maintain supply sheds at schools and deliver and spread soil/compost for new and existing gardens.
    • Maintain an annual budget and garden-related grants. This includes purchasing all plants, seeds, tools, mulch, and other supplies as needed for the gardens. It also includes the ability to check out a vehicle and credit card from facilities to purchase and deliver these supplies.
    • Create, update and teach hands-on lessons that address K-12 standards from the ACPS Curriculum in the schoolyard habitats. This includes working with Science Instructional Specialists to develop and post-aligned lessons in Canvas and working with other curriculum areas.
  • The Children's Garden Liaison shall coordinate community outreach for support of the schoolyard habitats. This includes the following:
    • Receive donations and solicit grants from organizations to support the schoolyard habitats. This may include coordinating with school PTAs and other ACPS departments, like ACPS School Nutrition Services and the ACPS Office of School, Community, and Business Partnerships.
    • Work with school staff and PTAs to support the recruitment of garden volunteers and management of volunteer work sessions with community partners.
    • Develop, schedule, and manage community learning activities utilizing the schoolyard habitats. This may include coordinating with school PTAs and other ACPS departments, like ACPS School Nutrition Services and the ACPS Office of School, Community, and Business Partnerships.
    • Act as a liaison for the Community Gardens Program for the gardens located at George Washington Middle School, Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, and William Ramsay Elementary School.
    • Act as the ACPS representative on the annual Alexandria Earth Day Committee. This includes encouraging participation of ACPS students and schools through the development of youth programming and contests and promoting these activities in schools ahead of Earth Day.
    • Create opportunities for public relations in support of the ACPS schoolyard habitats by collaborating with Alexandria City Parks and Recreation staff, other ACPS departments, the local 4-H Extension Office, and community partners such as local garden clubs.
    • Maintaining a professional social media presence on an ACPS approved Twitter account.

Clearances:
  • Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
  • Tuberculosis Skin Test.

Public Health Compliance
  • Proof of COVID vaccination. Exemptions for religious/medical will be reviewed.
  • Must follow safety and health protocols.

WP

Primary Location:
Division-Wide
Salary Range:
$46.02 - $46.02 / Per Hour
Shift Type:
Part-Time

Company

Alexandria City Public Schools is one of the most diverse school systems in the country and we celebrate that diversity. Our students come from more than 80 different countries, speak more than 60 languages, and represent a rainbow of ethnic and cultural groups. They are economically diverse, but all are rich in that the residents of Alexandria are dedicated to ensuring that each and every one of them achieves success.

The children of Alexandria have benefited significantly from the strong support of City Council and the Alexandria community over the years. Tremendous gains have been made in student achievement and ACPS continues to be in the forefront of technology integration.

T.C. Williams High School is on the cutting edge, both inside and out. The award-winning building features numerous environmentally sound features, such as a 450,000-gallon underground cistern that collects and stores rainwater for building use, and a rooftop garden that provides stormwater management. The redesigned educational program at T.C. consists of smaller learning communities designed to increase academic achievement and the level of student engagement. Students feel more connected to caring adults, and teachers have more opportunity to know and support their students.

The City of Alexandria was recently named one of the Top 100 Communities for Young People by America's Promise, partly because of the quality of our schools and programs. A recent City survey indicates that the number of people who made the decision to live in Alexandria based on the quality of the schools has increased since 2004. We have many reasons to celebrate. ACPS is truly an urban success!

Company info
Location
2000 N Beauregard St
Alexandria
VA
22314
US

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