Kitchen Specialist

Location: Geelong | Queenscliff

Job type: Part time / From 28/01/2025 - 26/01/2026

Organisation: Schools (Government)

**Salary**: Salary not specified

Occupation: Other

Reference: 1458233

**Location Profile**:
Surfside Primary School is a medium to large sized school with a predicted enrolment of 540-550 students in 2025. The school has been in operation since 1993. Located 2 km north/east of the central business district of the seaside resort of Ocean Grove, 28 kilometres from the provincial city of Geelong, on Victoria¿s Bellarine Peninsula.

**Our Vision** is 'to inspire students to be creative, innovative and emotionally equipped to thrive' while **our Mission** is to 'cultivate a caring and inclusive environment in which students flourish' and is supported by **our Values** of 'Respect, Honesty, Teamwork and Achievement¿.

We have a culture of high expectations that is supported through student engagement, a nurturing environment and a strong emphasis on student mental health and wellbeing.

The leadership and staff operate as a collaborative and dynamic community of learners with a shared commitment to improving student outcomes, providing engaging learning opportunities, supporting student wellbeing, and ensuring that teaching reflects best practice.
The level of staff engagement is commendable with leadership supporting and empowering staff to do their job effectively and build a sense of ownership, commitment and pride toward the goals and values of the school.
The school offers a comprehensive curriculum in all Learning Areas and Capabilities with a high emphasis placed on developing student knowledge and skills in Literacy and Numeracy through explicit direct instruction.
Staff participate in ongoing Professional Learning Communities to ensure maximum opportunities for all students to 'Believe in Themselves'.

The school operates through teamwork, collaboration, and consultation. Mutual trust and respect between staff, students and parents form a positive learning environment. The relationship between school and home is highly valued and encouraged. We continue to work towards embedding School Wide Positive Behaviours and Learning Agreements across the school are made with the expectations matrix in mind. The school places an emphasis on highly engaging programs for children which is exemplified through the: Developmental Curriculum for years Foundation - 2, the Surfside Kitchen Garden Program for years 3-6, 1-1 BYO iPads for years 3
- 6, and shared iPads in all junior year levels.

**Selection Criteria**:

- Proven ability to work in partnership with teachers and develop links from the Kitchen and Garden program to Literacy, Numeracy the Victorian Curriculum and activities within the classroom
- Be an enthusiastic and passionate cook/chef, have a sound knowledge of food handling, health and hygiene processes, cooking techniques, sustainability and cooking meals based on seasonal produce
- Proven ability to plan weekly kitchen classes, ensuring they are applicable to all participating age groups and linked towards the Victorian Curriculum.
- Recruit, coordinate and support volunteers, help organise volunteers to support the kitchen program
- Proven ability to self manage, lead, organise, document and implement a Kitchen program in collaboration with the Garden Specialist

**Role**:
The Kitchen Specialist at Surfside Primary School will work together with the Garden Specialist, Classroom teachers, Principal and Assistant Principal to deliver a high quality kitchen program that excites and engages the children at the school.

The Kitchen Specialist is employed to engage the curiosity of the young students, to cook the seasonal product from our Kitchen Garden in an engaging and enjoyable manner. This approach seeks to stimulate children to modify their eating habits through experiencing great tasting food within a society of good food rather than lecturing them about eating some foods and not eating others.

The Kitchen & Garden is an integral part of the grade 3-6 curriculum. The aim of the Program is to introduce young children to the wonderful world of good food via a productive garden and an exciting, innovative kitchen, as part of the school curriculum. We hope to engage the students and to help them learn how to grow the very best food in the very best way, how to care for it in the garden, how to recognise when it is ripe and at its best, how to prepare it easily and enjoyably and be excited by all these experiences.

Successful applicants will have a desire to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of primary school children through positive engagement and an appreciation and empathy with the Stephanie Alexander Foundation mission and values. Surfside Primary School is a member of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and aims to implement the intensive Kitchen/Garden program consistent with the original intent of the Foundation.

**Responsibilities**:

- The Kitchen