School Network Staff UACS Nutrition-Garden Educator
Job Description
Founded in 1992, the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships is the University’s primary vehicle for advancing civic and community engagement at Penn. It brings together the resources and assets of both the University and the wider community to help solve universal problems such as poverty, health inequities, environmental sustainability, and inadequate, unequal education as they are manifested in the University’s local geographic area of West Philadelphia and Philadelphia at large. The Netter Center develops and helps implement democratic, mutually transformative, place-based partnerships between Penn and West Philadelphia that advance research, teaching, learning, practice, and service and improve the quality of life on campus and in the community. The Netter Center works with and serves as a model for other higher education institutions across the United States and around the world.
The Netter Center’s university-assisted community schools (UACS) is a strategy to educate, engage, empower, and serve all members of the community in which the school is located and engage students (K-16+) in real world, community problem solving.
The UACS Nutrition-Garden Educator is working to answer the question: How can we best listen to the garden education and food access needs in the K-12 schools and communities we work in – and in an asset-based approach connect the University of Pennsylvania and other partners together with the K-12 schools to meet and exceed these needs?
Position Duties:
This place-based position will be rooted at a local UACS K-12 West Philadelphia public school and is working to answer the question: How can we best listen to the garden education and food access needs in the K-12 schools and communities we work in – and in an asset-based approach connect the University of Pennsylvania and other partners together with the K-12 schools to meet and exceed these needs?
The UACS Nutrition-Garden Educators specifically support school nutrition, garden and wellness education by infusing health and wellness activities and policies throughout UACS programs. The position both helps coordinate and provide direct instruction during the school day, afterschool, and summer.
Primary responsibilities of this role include, school garden, indoor and outdoor growing and maintenance, preparing materials and teaching nutrition and garden education and wellness activities to K-12 students in West Phila. Public schools. A component of the position will be to further develop the educational frameworks of our nutrition and wellness education programming. The position works with staff and partners to select evidence-based curriculum most appropriate and effective for their audience and will implement programming that meets SNAP-Ed requirements.
The UACS Nutrition-Garden Educators take a comprehensive approach to community health improvement, particularly improvement in nutrition and wellness with focus on the following activities: nutrition and garden education initiatives within public schools and community, year-round youth development programming, improving access to quality foods for children, youth, families and faculty within partnering public schools and community, increasing activity and exercise levels, as well as increasing awareness and understanding of food systems and environment. Academic programming includes collaboration with school day teachers and administrators to support enrichment activities that support learning across the core subjects through problem-based learning and community development activities. This position will work closely with ABCS courses and facilitate connections to faculty partners. This position also works with undergraduate fellows, work-study and volunteer Penn students.
Qualifications:
A Bachelor’s Degree and 2-3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. We are seeking an individual who loves gardening, working with young people in schools, and wants to oversee a team that is working together to develop best practices for the maintenance and growth of school gardens as living classrooms. 1-2 years of farming experience and competence in all areas of farm management is required. Master’s in Education, Environmental Science, Public Health, or equivalent degree strongly preferred. A strong candidate will have experience in urban education, supervision, and youth development. Knowledge about Penn and West Philadelphia is a plus. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and foster high quality connections is critical. Must be collaborative, flexible, and work productively with diverse groups. Must be able to work in a wide variety of weather conditions. Must possess a track record of both self-directed and team-oriented accomplishments and be organized, detail-oriented, dependable, and flexible.
This position is contingent upon funding.
