Islandwood Brightwater - Islandwood Brightwater Educator
7/7/2012
Job Description
AmeriCorps Volunteer position at Brightwater in Woodinville, Washington
Position - IslandWood Brightwater Educator
About IslandWood Brightwater
King County has three major wastewater treatment plants: West Point, South, and Brightwater. These plants serve 1.5 million people across 420 square acres. The Brightwater Treatment Plant is the newest facility; it was built to serve the growing population in King and Snohomish counties. The Brightwater Environmental Education and Community Center was built as mitigation for the Brightwater Wastewater Treatment Plant construction. It is envisioned to be the heart of the local community and a popular environmental attraction that provides educational, motivational, and enriching experiences.
In the fall of 2011, IslandWood won the contract to deliver the school day programs, the family programs, and the summer day programs on the site. IslandWood's programs at Brightwater focus on themes of global water use, stream restoration, wastewater, municipal water systems, and water stewardship. Elementary-school-aged students will focus mainly on the natural water systems on site (wetlands, ponds, streams) while middle-school-aged students will tackle the complex concepts of the wastewater treatment process, the engineering involved in the process design, and the implication of such a system in the local community.
IslandWood programs at the Brightwater Center tend to take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 AM-2 PM. Students travel from their schools to spend four hours on the site working in the labs, studying organisms in the ponds on site, or visiting the wastewater treatment plant. Groups are divided into four field groups of 15 kids or less, each with at least one chaperone and one instructor (or AmeriCorps Service Member).
IslandWood programming at the Brightwater Center is directly connected to in class science units taught in the area. The curriculum is brand new and the education team is regularly working on revising and re-working the lessons and flow of the four-hour field experience.
For more information about IslandWood, visit our website http://islandwood.org/school_programs/brightwater/ also the Brightwater website - http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center.aspx
Position Overview
The AmeriCorps Service Member will collaborate with the Brightwater Program Manager to implement our first year of IslandWood school programs at the Brightwater Center. The AmeriCorps Service Member will collaborate with local schools and teachers to help design programs that closely relate to in-school curricula. The member will recruit and enroll new schools for the programs, including marketing, registration, and emailing with teachers. The member will further spearhead the recruitment and training of volunteers for delivery of programs as needed. In addition to recruitment of schools and volunteers, the member will teach programs to elementary and middle school students with a focus on water ecosystems and water resources. Because this is a first-year curriculum, the AmeriCorps Member will have the opportunity to be a part of the development of new systems (such as evaluation, recruitment, follow-up, teaching trainings, etc).
Qualifications
- Detail-oriented, organized, flexible
- High-level teaching / communication skills
- Knowledge of best practices in environmental and sustainability education
- Comfort with and interest in gaining more experience in the formal education system
- Experience communicating with classroom teachers
- Experience with upper elementary grade students through middle schools students in field and project-based programming
- Knowledge of trends in STEM education
- Drivers license and regular access to a vehicle to visit schools and sites throughout the Greater Seattle area
- Be prepared to lift kits of 20-25 pounds
- Walk on uneven outdoor terrain
Service location may also be at King County schools, local parks, and/or at the IslandWood headquarters on Bainbridge Island as needed. Brightwater program, recruitment, and teacher professional development trainings may be in the evening (usually 4:30-7:30). Additional events could occur on occasional weekends. The weekly schedule will be adjusted as needed to maintain a 40 hour week.
2012-13 AmeriCorps Individual Placement
Eligibility Requirements and Compensation
AmeriCorps Eligibility Requirements
Selected member(s) should demonstrate the skills and commitment required to successfully serve in the position, serve 40 hours a week and meet the 1700 minimum hour requirement for a full-time term of service. At a minimum, the following criteria required by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) must be met:
- Be a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident (must submit proof as defined by CNCS regulation)
- Be 18-25 years of age at the start date of their service
- Members in tutoring positions must have a high school diploma or GED at time of enrollment
- Pass required criminal background checks
- Not be listed on the National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR)
Documentation for the above must be obtained and verified before a candidate is offered an AmeriCorps position. For more information refer to the enrollment instructions on the Washington Service Corps website.
What do Washington Service Corps members receive for their service?
- Living stipend of $1,125 per month provided by Washington Service Corps (before taxes)
- Training and experience
- Subsidized childcare provided by GAP Solutions Inc. (if qualified)
- Health Insurance (member only)
- Student loan forbearance (on qualifying loans)
- $5,550 Education Award provided by National Service Trust (upon successful completion of service term)
The position terms begins September 1, 2012 and ends July 15, 2013
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to cathys@islandwood.org
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