FIDDLEHEADS FOREST SCHOOL PROGRAM ASSISTANT (55% FTE)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

University of Washington Botanic Gardens (UWBG) Education Program Mission: Provide meaningful educational experiences that enrich participants’ connections with plants and the natural world.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, we value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, fairness, and opportunity for all. We see implicit and explicit exclusion from green spaces like botanic gardens as an injustice that shapes our past and present and must be countered as we move into the future.

As a community, we believe that working to achieve equity and promote inclusion is both crucial and complex; we embrace the continuous commitment, the collective growth mindset, and the humility required to make meaningful transformation.

For the full statement of commitment, visit https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/

The University of Washington Botanic Gardens Youth and Family Education programs serve over 10,000 youth ages 2-18 and their families each year through family classes, school field trips, summer camp and preschool programs.  Tucked within the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the Youth and Family Education Programs is the Fiddleheads Forest School, an entirely outdoor preschool for students ages three to six. At the Fiddleheads Forest School, we aim to foster a sense of wonder, to guide rather than compel, and to provide room for possibility rather than attempt to constrain children’s interests to fit within a certain curriculum. Unlike traditional programs, the Forest School classroom grows and changes along with its students.  This dynamic environment offers an unparalleled setting for the development of self-regulation and fundamental appreciation for the natural world. Our unique, child-driven curriculum addresses the individual developmental needs of every student. Each day is approached with joy and wonder at the wide world around us.

The UW Botanical Gardens – Fiddleheads Forest School has an outstanding opportunity for a part -time  Program Assistant 

This position will assist the Fiddleheads Forest School with both teaching and administrative duties. In the full-day classroom, this position will teach with one other instructor each day- alternating between working with the class’s Associate and Lead teacher and teaching classes of up to 14 students Tuesday-Thursday from 11:30am-3:15pm while spending the majority of that time outdoors, exploring the natural world through age-appropriate lessons and activities. The remaining hours for this position may be spent substitute teaching in the other Fiddleheads classrooms, assisting teaching with materials prep, and working closely with the Head of School on various administrative tasks such as a weekly e-newsletter, maintaining the gear library, and organizing and cleaning teaching materials.

This position is a 22 hour per week role, with proposed work hours of 8:30am-4:00pm Tuesday-Thursday with occasional early mornings, some evenings and weekends for special school events.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Help 3-6 year-olds discover and develop a relationship with the natural environment by assisting students with established activities using items found in nature, modeling healthy engagement with the environment, positive social interaction and self-regulation, and curiosity for the natural world.
• Co-lead prepared curricular activities that are developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive for 3-6 year-olds, incorporating foundational natural science and social and emotional learning concepts as well as emergent interests of student population
• Maintain clear communications with fellow staff, interns, students, and their families to achieve common goals, support the development of all students, and avoid potential conflicts
• Assist with documentation of student learning
• Assist in efficient preparation, organization, and maintenance of teaching supplies and materials including regular cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting according to health guidelines
• Assist in coordinating and organizing the gear library, preparing for special events, creating, and distributing e-newsletters
• Assist with all aspects of enrollment including assisting with creating and distributing marketing materials, managing the enrollment lottery system, and maintaining the online registration system
• Other related duties as assigned, including potential time substituting in any classroom

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:    

• High school graduation or equivalent and two years of full-time clerical experience or equivalent education/experience.
• Authorization from the State of Washington, or willingness to achieve before the start date, to work in a licensed early childcare setting with appropriate training and documentation in the DCYF MERIT system. This includes current Adult/Pediatric First Aid/CPR.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:    

• Demonstrated dedication to race and social justice in education and the environment
• Experience working with early learners in a formal setting
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to stand, stoop, bend, and sit for 15-20 minutes at a time. Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds. Ability to work outdoors in all types of weather.
• Formal training in early childhood education, environmental education, or related areas.
• Experience working with diverse and neurodiverse learners.
• Creativity, flexibility, and understanding necessary for working with children, parents, and staff members.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS:

• Flexible work hours include occasional evening and weekend work.
• Willingness to work outside in all kinds of weather.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.