Garden Educator

The Pearlstone Retreat Center ignites Jewish passion.  Our retreat center, farm, and programs enable and inspire vibrant Jewish life. Engaging Jewish, faith-based, and secular organizations, individuals, and families, Pearlstone Retreat Center serves all ages and backgrounds throughout Baltimore, the Chesapeake region, and beyond.

Garden Educator

Adamah

Pearlstone Center

Job Description

Title:                 Garden Educator                                   Department: Program

Reports to:    Director of Program Partnerships

Date:                 March 2023                                             Status: .8 FTE/NonExempt/Benes

Schedule:        Sunday-Thursday, flexible hours

Summary: 

The Pearlstone Retreat Center ignites Jewish passion.  Our retreat center, farm, and programs enable and inspire vibrant Jewish life. Engaging Jewish, faith-based, and secular organizations, individuals, and families, Pearlstone Retreat Center serves all ages and backgrounds throughout Baltimore, the Chesapeake region, and beyond.

The Garden Educator will serve as the voice of farm education on the Program Team at the Pearlstone Center, working primarily in program implementation, farm management, and curriculum development.  The ideal candidate will have a deep knowledge of JOFEE (Jewish Outdoor Food, Farm, and Environmental Education) principles, as well as practical experience in farm and garden maintenance. The Farm Educator is a critical member of the Program Team and supports Pearlstone’s educational programming, which builds people’s connection with the land, Jewish wisdom, and the community.

Garden Educator Scope of Work

• Garden Management: Work with the program team to identify programmatic needs for specific plants including herbs, dye-plants, and edibles.  Work with the farm team to align the plans for the program team’s portion of the educational farm with the farm team’s portion. Develop an overall plan for the management and maintenance of the program team’s portion of the educational farm. Support the work on the farm team in a way that develops professional skills and meets the needs of the farm team.
• Volunteer Management: Recruit and engage volunteers in the ongoing maintenance of the educational farm. Identify ongoing and one-time tasks for volunteers to support. Work with ongoing volunteers on regular assigned tasks and with groups of volunteers on garden programs with an educational component.
• Farm and Garden Education: Engage guests in educational visits to the farm, including opportunities for participants to work directly in support of farm tasks including planting, weeding, harvesting, and other maintenance. Farm visits include visits from TEVA, Adventure Camp, immersive retreats, Farm and Forest School, and other programs.
• Animal Education: Engage guests in educational encounters with animals, including opportunities for participants to interact where appropriate. Animal visits include visits from TEVA, Adventure Camp, immersive retreats, Farm and Forest School, and other programs. Work with the stewardship team to evaluate and monitor policies and practices for animal encounters, including training of staff in animal encounter protocols.
• Interdepartmental Communication: Serve as the official liaison between the stewardship and program teams by attending both staff meetings and reporting key information from one department to the other.  Work with the Directors of Program and Stewardship to design regular Pearlstone Educational Department meetings with both departments.
• Data Reporting and Evaluation: Track participation as requested and participate in program evaluation in discussion and/or written form.
• Curriculum Development: Work with the Pearlstone Education Manager and the Chesapeake Region Program Director to develop innovative strategies to integrate Jewish wisdom, principles of environmental sustainability, and climate activism into farm and animal educational work.

Departmental Tasks:

• Support Pearlstone program team initiatives as a partner in creative brainstorming, content development, and problem solving. 
• Participate in program team training and support the program team by serving as an educator during peak program times and immersive retreats.
• Participate in departmental staff meetings and contribute to team culture in a positive way.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Pearlstone Employee Standards:

1.    Be a team player!

2. Sustain a positive, enthusiastic and professional attitude at all times.
3. Accommodate all guest requests with a smile and Loving Warmth.
4. Adhere to supervisor’s directives.
5. Maintain a professional appearance and demeanor.
6. Arrive prior to the scheduled starting time, properly dressed and prepared to work.
7. Perform all duties in a timely, accurate, honest, and professional manner.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have experience in:

• Formal and informal Jewish education
• Outdoor experiential Jewish environmental education
• Garden education and/or Jewish agricultural education
• Farm and garden management
• Program coordination & planning, working with client groups & stakeholders
• Time management & organizational systems
• Innovative program development and implementation
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Teamwork and community building
• Leadership and supervision

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, run, hike, farm, and play outside.  The employee may have to lift up to 35 pounds on a regular basis.

Working Conditions:

Works in a office, farm, and forest environment.  Potential exposure to noise, dust, hand tools, tractors, heat or cold conditions.

Evaluation:

Ninety days from date of employment date. Thereafter, annually.  This job description does not state or imply that the above are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to the position.  Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management.  All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and its Agencies are equal opportunity employers, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship, veteran's status, physical or mental disability that does not prohibit the performance of essential job functions (with or without reasonable accommodation) or any other basis protected by federal, or applicable, state or local law.