Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Specialist

**Overview**:
**Work Type**:Fixed-term - Part-time

**Salary**: Salary not specified

**Grade**:Education Support - Level 1, Range 2

**Occupation**:Other

**Location**:Melbourne - Western suburbs

**Reference**:1482598

**Location Profile**:

- Altona Green Primary School is proud to have served the families of Altona Meadows since it was built in 1990. The student population of approximately 400 consists of children from a diverse range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Our school belongs to the Hobsons Bay network of schools with whom we work collaboratively, to provide the best education for the students across our local area.
- Altona Green Primary School sets high expectations for all students and has a clear vision of the knowledge skills and dispositions that we strive for all students to develop whilst they are part of our school community.
- Our school is a learning community where we are proud to offer our students a rich, varied and engaging curriculum from Prep to Year 6. Along with our excellent literacy and numeracy programs, students are engaged in diverse learning experiences in the Arts, Physical Education, STEM and Italian. Digital Technologies are also an integral part of the classroom program and are supported by our 1:1 BYOD iPad program for all students. We are also proud to offer our students in Years 1-6, involvement in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program which is well established in our school.
- Our teachers are highly skilled and knowledgable and are committed to delivering our curriculum through an explicit, structured and systematic approach where all students are challenged and provided with the opportunity to succeed.
- We strive to create a friendly and safe environment for our students and welcome and encourage the support of both our local community and our parents. Our school uses the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support program with our motto being - 'Be like KEFAR - Be Safe, Be Responsible and Be a Learner¿ and have partnered with The Reslience Project which focuses on gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.
- All students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of extra curricular activities including intensive swimming programs, camps and excursions, running club, choir and lunch time interest-based clubs.

**Selection Criteria**:

- SC1. Demonstrated understanding of the philosophy of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden and the role of the Kitchen Specialist
- SC2. A demonstrated ability to be able to work alone displaying sound time management skills, motivation and basic IT skills
- SC3. A demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with staff, students and parents
- SC4. A demonstrated capacity to plan menus and lessons that match the SAKG philosophy
- SC5. Demonstrated awareness of OH&S requirements related to the position
- SC6. A demonstrated ability to competently use and maintain relevant equipment

**Role**:

- The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Specialist has overall responsibility for planning and maintaining the kitchen and garden, and also plans and conducts weekly kitchen and garden classes in which students learn about growing and using produce in the kitchen.

**Responsibilities**:

- The responsibilities of this position will be:

- Liaise with school leadership regarding overall operation and planning of the program
- Manage the SAKG budget
- Planning weekly kitchen and garden classes, including planning the weekly menu and incorporating seasonal garden produce, reinforcing key techniques and pre-preparing elements of the menu if necessary.
- Facilitate kitchen and garden classes with the aid of the classroom teacher assisting with student behaviour
- Plan the planting of the vegetable garden and involve the students in the process.
- Plan any development of the vegetable garden infrastructure - incorporating the pre-existing vision
- and involve the school community in the process.
- Be resourceful about obtaining items needed for the kitchen and garden
- receive donations when possible, scavenge or purchase within budget guidelines.
- Work in the garden doing general gardening tasks like weeding, pest control and completing jobs not finished by students, as well as maintaining equipment.
- Shop for extra ingredients/equipment within budget guidelines
- Be aware of and cater for food allergies within the program, adhering to OH&S requirements
- Prepare recipes in the agreed format suitable for children to understand and arrange the distribution of these to classes within the agreed time frame
- Recruit, coordinate and support volunteers, help organise volunteer events, compile and update volunteer information and respond to interest from potential volunteers
- Maintain dry-food stores and monitor equipment needs. Communicate any maintenance or replacement matters to the school business manager or maintenance worker
- Raise awareness in the school community about the Kitchen Garden Program through schools¿ communica