Classroom and Student Support - Other
Government schools
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Job summary
Wodonga West Primary School is seeking a flexible Kitchen Garden Specialist Assistant to support the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program across year levels. You will help prepare kitchen and garden spaces, assist with food preparation and gardening activities, and support students during hands-on learning experiences.
Working with teachers and school leadership, you will foster safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments that develop independence, teamwork, and an appreciation for
Qualifications
- Knowledge and/or practical experience in gardening or horticulture.
- Knowledge and/or practical experience in food preparation and cooking.
- Knowledge and/or practical experience in sustainability and environmental education.
- Experience in community gardening.
- Experience working with children in practical learning environments.
- Desirable to have understanding or experience with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden approach.
Responsibilities
- Support the delivery of practical Kitchen Garden learning activities for students across relevant year levels.
- Assist students to participate in gardening, cooking, food preparation and sustainability activities.
- Encourage students to develop independence, confidence, cooperation and practical skills.
- Support students with diverse learning needs to access and participate in Kitchen Garden activities.
- Promote positive behaviour, respectful relationships and inclusive participation.
- Maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with students.
- Reinforce school expectations relating to safety, behaviour and respectful use of kitchen and garden facilities.
- Supports the delivery of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
- Prepare learning spaces, equipment, ingredients and resources for scheduled sessions.
- Assist with the sequencing and organisation of practical activities throughout the school year.
- Support the integration of garden produce into cooking and food-related learning activities.
- Contribute practical ideas and knowledge to the ongoing development of the program.
- Assist with special events, celebrations, demonstrations and community activities associated with the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Assist with day-to-day care and maintenance of the school garden.
- Undertake seasonal gardening activities including planting, sowing, watering, weeding, pruning, mulching and harvesting.
- Maintain garden tools, equipment and resources in a clean, safe and functional condition.
- Assist with planning and preparing seasonal crops and garden activities.
- Monitor garden areas and report maintenance, safety or resourcing issues to the appropriate staff member.
- Support students to develop an understanding of sustainable gardening and responsible environmental practices.
- Prepare kitchen areas, equipment and ingredients for student learning activities.
- Assist students with age-appropriate food preparation and cooking activities.
- Support the safe and appropriate use of kitchen equipment.
- Maintain high standards of kitchen hygiene and cleanliness.
- Ensure food and kitchen resources are stored appropriately.
- Follow school procedures relating to food safety, allergies, hygiene and risk management.
- Monitor kitchen resources and advise the appropriate staff member when supplies require replenishment.
- Assist with maintaining inventories of garden, kitchen and program resources.
- Assist with ordering, receiving and organising supplies as directed.
- Maintain practical records relating to planting, harvesting, resources and program activities where required.
- Assist with preparing displays, student work and other materials that promote the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Ensure kitchen and garden resources are appropriately organised and readily available.
- Assist with maintaining orderly, safe and accessible kitchen and garden learning environments.
- Work collaboratively with classroom teachers, specialist teachers, eEducation support staff and school leadership.
- Communicate relevant information about student participation, resources, garden activities and operational matters to appropriate staff.
- Contribute to a positive and cooperative workplace culture.
- Work respectfully with parents, volunteers, community members and external organisations involved in the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Participate in staff meetings, professional learning and planning activities as required.
Skills
Job description
Demonstrated knowledge and/or practical experience in one or more of the following areas:
food preparation and cooking
sustainability and environmental education
community gardening
working with children in practical learning environments.
An understanding of, or experience with, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden approach would be desirable.
Demonstrated ability to support primary-aged students in practical learning environments, including the ability to encourage participation, develop independence and respond appropriately to students with diverse learning needs.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with teachers, Education Support staff, school leadership, families, volunteers and other members of the school community.
Demonstrated ability to organise practical activities, prepare resources and learning environments, manage competing priorities and work independently with appropriate direction.
Demonstrated understanding of the importance of student safety, wellbeing, inclusion and child safety, including the ability to follow relevant school policies and procedures relating to food safety, allergies, hygiene, risk management and workplace health and safety.
Demonstrated commitment to hands-on learning and to supporting students to develop an appreciation of fresh food, gardening, sustainability, healthy eating, cooperation and connection with the natural environment.
Demonstrated knowledge and/or practical experience in one or more of the following areas:
gardening or horticulture
food preparation and cooking
sustainability and environmental education
community gardening
working with children in practical learning environments.
An understanding of, or experience with, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden approach would be desirable.
Demonstrated ability to support primary-aged students in practical learning environments, including the ability to encourage participation, develop independence and respond appropriately to students with diverse learning needs.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with teachers, Education Support staff, school leadership, families, volunteers and other members of the school community.
Demonstrated ability to organise practical activities, prepare resources and learning environments, manage competing priorities and work independently with appropriate direction.
Demonstrated understanding of the importance of student safety, wellbeing, inclusion and child safety, including the ability to follow relevant school policies and procedures relating to food safety, allergies, hygiene, risk management and workplace health and safety.
Demonstrated commitment to hands‑on learning and to supporting students to develop an appreciation of fresh food, gardening, sustainability, healthy eating, cooperation and connection with the natural environment.
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Specialist Assistant supports the implementation and ongoing operation of the school's Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
Working collaboratively with teachers, Education Support staff and school leadership, the Specialist Assistant provides practical support for student learning across the kitchen, garden and associated learning environments.
The role involves preparing and maintaining the kitchen and garden environments, delivering and supporting students during practical learning experiences, assisting with food preparation and cooking activities, maintaining garden areas and resources, and contributing to a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment.
The Specialist Assistant supports the development of students' practical skills, independence, teamwork, confidence and understanding of food, gardening, sustainability and healthy eating.
The position requires a person who can work flexibly across both student‑facing and preparation/maintenance activities and who is able to use initiative while working within school policies, procedures and the direction of teaching and school leadership staff.
- Support the delivery of practical Kitchen Garden learning activities for students across relevant year levels.
- Assist students to participate in gardening, cooking, food preparation and sustainability activities.
- Encourage students to develop independence, confidence, cooperation and practical skills.
- Support students with diverse learning needs to access and participate in Kitchen Garden activities.
- Promote positive behaviour, respectful relationships and inclusive participation.
- Maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with students.
- Reinforce school expectations relating to safety, behaviour and respectful use of kitchen and garden facilities.
- Supports the delivery of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.
- Prepare learning spaces, equipment, ingredients and resources for scheduled sessions.
- Assist with the sequencing and organisation of practical activities throughout the school year.
- Support the integration of garden produce into cooking and food‑related learning activities.
- Contribute practical ideas and knowledge to the ongoing development of the program.
- Assist with special events, celebrations, demonstrations and community activities associated with the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Assist with the day‑to‑day care and maintenance of the school garden.
- Undertake seasonal gardening activities including planting, sowing, watering, weeding, pruning, mulching and harvesting.
- Maintain garden tools, equipment and resources in a clean, safe and functional condition.
- Assist with planning and preparing seasonal crops and garden activities.
- Monitor garden areas and report maintenance, safety or resourcing issues to the appropriate staff member.
- Support students to develop an understanding of sustainable gardening and responsible environmental practices.
- Prepare kitchen areas, equipment and ingredients for student learning activities.
- Assist students with age‑appropriate food preparation and cooking activities.
- Support the safe and appropriate use of kitchen equipment.
- Maintain high standards of kitchen hygiene and cleanliness.
- Ensure food and kitchen resources are stored appropriately.
- Follow school procedures relating to food safety, allergies, hygiene and risk management.
- Monitor kitchen resources and advise the appropriate staff member when supplies require replenishment.
- Assist with maintaining inventories of garden, kitchen and program resources.
- Assist with ordering, receiving and organising supplies as directed.
- Maintain practical records relating to planting, harvesting, resources and program activities where required.
- Assist with preparing displays, student work and other materials that promote the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Ensure kitchen and garden resources are appropriately organised and readily available.
- Assist with maintaining orderly, safe and accessible kitchen and garden learning environments.
- Work collaboratively with classroom teachers, specialist teachers, eEducation support staff and school leadership.
- Communicate relevant information about student participation, resources, garden activities and operational matters to appropriate staff.
- Contribute to a positive and cooperative workplace culture.
- Work respectfully with parents, volunteers, community members and external organisations involved in the Kitchen Garden Program.
- Participate in relevant staff meetings, professional learning and planning activities as required.
Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfil the specific requirements of the position.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au
Applicants seeking part‑time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case‑by‑case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre‑employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx
Wodonga West Primary School is seeking applications from Teacher Aides who show a love of learning and teaching and who are committed to their profession. As part of our staff team you will be expected to contribute to the friendly and cooperative nature of our school. You will also be encouraged to demonstrate your creative and innovative talents to the delivery of the school¿s educational programs.
Please ensure you address all of the selection criteria in your written application.
Are clearly able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of curriculum;
- Can clearly articulate a set of beliefs about how children best learn;
- Can successfully plan, organise and implement programs in a school that uses modern approaches to learning and teaching.
- Understands the importance of and willingly participates in professional development, professional renewal and reflection.
- Shows a commitment to whole school life by participating in all school activities.
Our school has a strong focus on learning. We are committed to the development of our staff with professional development opportunities offered in learning, teaching and leadership. You will be part of a vital, stimulating and challenging learning environment with high expectations of staff and students. The skills you bring to this environment will be valued and used. Our school is now operating in new contemporary open learning spaces and share a good relationship with our broader school community. We pride ourselves on our well resourced classrooms and innovative programs.
Your application should persuade us that you are the best person for this job. It does not need to be long but should help us decide if you would fit easily into our school philosophy and learning and teaching team.
Included is a snapshot of our schools expectations of our staff.
Our selection process:
After the closing date, our selection committee will meet and consider the material forwarded by applicants. The committee will short list applicants for interview, interviews will be conducted, references collected and/or referees contacted and a letter of offer will be forwarded to the successful applicant.
- Assist in implementing learning plans that cater for the individual needs of children as well as school program needs.
- Work with students to maintain challenging yet achievable goals for individual children.
- Monitoring and evaluating the attainment and progress of each child and using this information to set new goals.
- Ensuring all children experience success.
- Using praise and positive reinforcement as the predominant classroom management strategy.
- Contributing to a classroom that is attractive, stimulating place where resources are well managed.
- Recognising differences in children through individualised or small group instruction or through the use of a variety of classroom management strategies.
- Supporting the school¿s image in the community by respecting confidentiality, resolving problems within the school and promoting the children¿s positive attributes.
- Participating in school events.
- Learning, growing and reflecting through the school¿s professional development program.
- Further the involvement of parents in the learning of children.
- Be willing to continue to use Modern Technology (ICT) as a tool to assist children and your own learning.
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