Garden Educator - Teaching Fellow Epiphany School

Epiphany School in Dorchester (Boston), MA is hiring a Garden Teaching Fellow for the 2021-2022 school year! It’s a full-time Americorps position that runs through the school year (mid-August to mid-June).

SCHOOL + PROGRAM

Epiphany is an independent school dedicated to providing excellent, tuition-free education to young people of all faiths, from economically disadvantaged families in Boston. Our school includes a middle school (grades 5-8) and an early learning center (infants-preschoolers). We are open 11 hours a day and strive to be a full-service school: the school day includes three meals and snacks, sports, visual and performing arts, garden-based-learning, therapy, study hall, tutoring, and much more. We are a tight-knit community, providing abiding support for our graduates and collaborating closely with our families. See our website for more details.

We are always growing our comprehensive garden program that currently includes a 1000 square foot tropical greenhouse, a 20-raised-bed vegetable garden, and pollinator gardens. The garden program is part of every facet of the school:

• Garden-based learning: During the school day, we collaborate with teachers at both the middle school and early learning center, creating rigorous, exploratory, hands-on projects and activities
• Youth leadership: After school and over the summer, we offer Green Club (a cooking and gardening program) to our middle schoolers
• Youth employment: Our high-school-aged graduates garden and cook with us over the summer, and then assist with our afterschool program during the school year 
• Food justice: We collaborate with our families to grow culturally relevant food and we work with other food justice organizations in our community to increase food sovereignty and food security in Boston
• Sanctuary: Our greenhouse and gardens are a sanctuary for our entire community, from students and families to staff and teachers to neighbors and pollinating insects

To learn more our garden program, read about our Core Values and visit our Instagram

GARDEN TEACHING FELLOW POSITION

We are looking for recent college graduates who feel a commitment to the city, education, children, and urban gardening and are excited about the idea of working for a full-service school that is open eleven hours a day. The Garden Teaching Fellow is a year-round position and the primary responsibility will be collaborating with the Garden Program Director to cultivate and run the program, involving all children, families, and staff at our school in growing food, cooking, working towards food justice, and coming together as a community.

Sample Responsibilities:

• Assist with planning, maintenance, and harvest in gardens and greenhouse throughout the year
• Co-teach after-school cooking and gardening club for middle school students
• Support food security and food waste reduction programs such as our weekly food giveaway
• Support garden-to-kitchen connection by incorporating Epiphany-grown produce into the meal program at both schools and sending vegetables home with families and staff
• Co-teach school-day garden classes for middle school students and Early Learning Center classes
• Supervise during the school day, afternoon, and evening portion of our program (duties could include monitoring lunch, assembling breakfast, cleaning up dinner)

Preferred Experience:

• Work with youth in some capacity (teaching experience is not required; our school environment is one of collaboration and mutual learning)
• Work with plants (farming, landscaping, gardening)
• Bachelor's degree required

Compensation:

• Free housing and housing expenses in Epiphany units.
• An Americorps living allowance of $13,992, distributed in bi-weekly increments of  $583.00 for the duration of the Member's term of service with fulfillment of Americorps requirements. The living allowance is taxable.
• Healthcare insurance through Americorps.
• Upon successful completion of the Member's full-time term of service, the Member will receive an education award of a value of $6,095 from the National Service Trust.
• On-site gym, delicious school meals, and plentiful fresh vegetables.

Application instructions:

1. Contact us with a resume and cover letter at hiring@epiphanyschool.com
2. Receive invitation to schedule an initial visit of the school and gardens (virtually or in-person)
3. Complete written application with three references and transcripts
4. Receive invitation to return to teach a mini-lesson or lead a garden activity with youth (virtually or in-person)