Environmental Educator

Position Summary

Under the direction of Canopy’s Education Director, the Environmental Educator will be responsible for implementing Canopy’s PreK-12 tree curriculum in collaboration with schools and community-based partners in East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Belle Haven (Menlo Park), and Palo Alto, with upcoming teaching opportunities in North Fair Oaks. In addition, the Environmental Educator plays an integral role in shaping new curriculum and resources, as well as supporting Canopy’s education programming at public events. 

Schedule

• Full-time, 40 hours per week position Monday through Friday with some evenings and Saturdays. The successful candidate will work with the Education Director to set their schedule.
• Hybrid, partially working from home, the classroom/field, and the office. Program instruction typically takes place outdoors and in classrooms, while program coordination can take place both in the office and at home.  In-person attendance is regularly expected at Programs Team meetings, staff get-togethers, and internal meetings. In-person presence of this position is important for community impact, department cohesion, and Canopy’s culture of mutual support.
• Anticipated start date: March 18, 2024

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual salary: starting at $60,000-$62,000 per year
• Health benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Retirement: 401k, with a future possibility of offering employer-matching contributions
• Sick leave: 12 days (76 hours) per year with a maximum accrual of 6 days per year
• Vacation time: 12 days (76 hours) per year with a maximum accrual of 18 days per year. Accrual rates increase after two years with Canopy

• Transportation assistance program

• Paid holidays: The following are official holidays for all Canopy employees:
• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veteran’s Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve Day
• Christmas Day
• Winter break, including the work days falling between December 25 and January 1 and up to a full two weeks, dates at the discretion of the Executive Director
• Opportunities for advancement: In the past, multiple Canopy staff have “grown in place” by being promoted into vacated positions.
• Professional development: Canopy values professional growth and offers a selection of paid trainings each year to all staff  (previously: JEDI, Unconscious Bias) and has funds for individual staff to attend conferences, workshops, and other PD opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Program Coordination:

• Partners with school district administrators, principals, teachers, parent groups, and leaders at schools and community-based partners to design, schedule, and deliver environmental education lessons in Canopy’s service areas. 
• Recruit, train, engage, and manage Canopy’s corps of education volunteers to assist with the delivery of education programs.
• Track and report program deliverables for grants and assist with grant proposals and reports that are relevant to PreK-12 programs.
• Upgrade, create, purchase, and maintain program materials.
• Seek and incorporate input and feedback from students and partners, including teachers, parents, and/or community leaders as appropriate. Use Canopy’s database to track and report program outcomes.

Program Instruction:

• Prepare and teach up to 120 inquiry-based, hands-on environmental education lessons yearly from Canopy’s curriculum to approximately 3,000 students in a variety of settings, including schools, after school programs, childcare centers, and community organizations.
• Update and develop new curriculum as needed to achieve Canopy’s desired education outcomes, aligning with the needs of schools and/or community partners.
• Design, coordinate, and implement new programs according to evolving needs and opportunities.
• Research and maintain a current knowledge of the evolving field of environmental literacy, hands-on and inquiry-based education, and STEM, as well as topics related to equity in education.
• Engage youth and families through educational tabling activities at Canopy and community events.

Education Department Goal Setting and Tracking:

• Work with the Education Director to identify and use self-reflective tools and exercises for setting personal goals and evaluating professional development as an environmental educator.
• Attend Education Committee meetings to set and track programmatic goals.
• Engage in department-wide strategic conversations related to upcoming focus areas for Canopy’s education programs.

Staff-wide Responsibilities:

• Support Education Director and other Canopy staff in the design and implementation of special events, workshops, and presentations. Serve as the project lead for the development and coordination of certain of these special events, workshops, and presentations.
•  Participate as an active member in Canopy’s strategic planning process.
• Collaborate with the Canopy team on shared goals.

Required Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience teaching hands-on PreK – 12 lessons in a formal or informal setting. 
• Knowledge of environmental subject matter or a sincere desire to study and learn.
• Excellent classroom and behavior management skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity in education and cultural competency.
• Ability to adapt teaching style and content to meet the diverse needs and age ranges of students.
• Strong public speaking skills; ability to present in a confident, engaging manner that draws in the audience.
• Organizational skills and ability to follow through with assigned tasks.
• Detail-oriented, organized, with outstanding interpersonal skills.
• Able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with diverse groups.
• Ability to work collaboratively and openly communicate with coworkers.
• Positive, flexible, and friendly.
• Independently driven team player.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Experience and/or training in environmental education.
• Database skills.
• Lived experience or experience working with untapped communities.
• Experience working with volunteers on an individual and group basis.
• Knowledgeable in best practices for inclusive, effective learning design

Physical Activity Requirements

• Ability to sit and type, frequently.
• Ability to bend, squat, stoop, and stand for long periods of time, regularly.

COVID Vaccination Policy 

Canopy is committed to safeguarding the health of our staff and their families, volunteers, and the community at large. As such, Canopy requires employees to confidentially show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, unless they are unable to receive the vaccine because of a medical condition or sincerely held religious belief or practice. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII, and applicable state laws, Canopy will make reasonable accommodations.