DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:
This position is responsible for offering opportunities to teach hands-on, garden-based lessons for school-aged children
and young adults while supporting the upkeep of the gardens in an urban setting. The Educator will work in gardens,
greenhouses and classrooms to assist with season-long tasks and deliver hands-on programming for a diverse audience.
The work is performed under the general supervision of the Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Equity and
Engagement. Does related work as required.
As a Gardener:
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES (Illustrative only):
• Leads weekly tasks, including direct seeding, transplanting, mulching, pest monitoring, pruning, trellising,
weeding, harvesting and coordinating watering schedules;
• Participates in maintenance of sheds, tools, pathways and signage;
• Ensures that educational garden sites reflect best practices in organic agriculture and remain accessible to program
participants and visitors;
• Documents activities through garden logs, spreadsheets and photographs;
• Provides guidance to new gardeners and builds relationships with program participants;
• Develops weekly garden-based learning opportunities with assistance from the Program Manager;
• Runs afterschool garden clubs and programming;
• Participates in weekly staff meetings and collaborates with supervisor and stakeholders across programs;
• Represents Farm to School at public events and community gatherings;
• Assists with gathering materials, workshop preparation and delivery as needed;
• Assists in communicating activities through social media throughout the district and community;
• Performs related work as required.
FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Working knowledge of plant botany, life cycle identification and basic horticulture; Ability to develop and implement
garden-based lessons and facilitate group activities for students from diverse cultural backgrounds; Excellent time
management skills; Highly organized and detail-oriented; Ability to multi-task and coordinate needs across garden sites
and programs; Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; ability to lift 50 pounds.
SALARY: Minimum Salary $50,000/year
LOCATION: Multiple
A) Possession of a Bachelor’s degree* in Horticulture, Agricultural Sciences or a related field and one (1) year of
experience in an educational or childcare setting; OR
B) Possession of an Associate’s degree* in Horticulture, Agricultural Sciences or a related field and three (3) years of
experience in an educational or childcare setting; OR
C) Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma and five (5) years of experience in an
educational or childcare setting.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AT TIME OF APPOINTMENT:
• Must possess a current New York State Driver’s license and must maintain such license throughout the duration of
employment.
NOTE: *Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized
agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your
degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide
independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the
Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.