Farm-to-School Nutrition & Education Lead

North-Attleboro-Public-Schools; North Attleborough (MA); On-site; USD 47,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

North Attleboro Public Schools seeks a School Nutrition Farm & Education Coordinator to lead Farm to School, scratch cooking, school garden, and food literacy initiatives across the district. The role connects local farms, kitchens, classrooms, students, staff, and community partners to increase access to fresh, healthy meals and hands-on education.

The coordinator will oversee local procurement, culinary development, staff training, and expand nutrition education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, Nutrition, Food Systems, Public Health, Education, Agriculture, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Culinary experience and/or institutional or school food service experience preferred.
• Experience with Farm to School programs, food systems, school gardens, food literacy, and scratch cooking preferred.
• Experience training and teaching adults and/or students required.
• Knowledge of local food procurement, USDA school nutrition regulations, and meal patterns preferred.
• Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with students, staff, farms, nonprofits, and community organizations.
• Proficiency with technology, Google Suite, spreadsheets, and food service software systems.
• ServSafe Manager Certification and Massachusetts Allergen Certification preferred, or ability to obtain both within six months.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and expand districtwide Farm to School initiatives and partnerships with local farms, food producers, nonprofits, public health organizations, and community stakeholders.
• Increase the procurement and use of locally sourced fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, and other farm products.
• Coordinate direct sourcing, receiving, and distribution of local foods across district schools, including implementation and coordination of local food transportation.
• Ensure compliance with procurement regulations, food safety standards, and grant requirements.
• Maintain local purchasing records, grant documentation, and program outcome reports.
• Implement and maintain districtwide scratch cooking initiatives, including recipe development, standardization, and seasonal menu planning using local ingredients.
• Support fresh, culturally responsive, and student-centered menus while promoting consistent food quality across all schools.
• Provide culinary coaching, technical assistance, and hands-on training in knife skills, batch cooking, food preparation, waste reduction, safe food handling, and equipment operation.
• Collaborate with school nutrition staff to increase the use of fresh ingredients and scratch-prepared menu items.
• Implement and coordinate a summer Farm to School scratch cooking initiative, including purchasing, preparing, cooking, and preserving locally sourced farm products for use throughout the school year to support fresh, homemade meals and extend the availability of seasonal local ingredients.
• Develop and expand Harvest of the Month activities, classroom/cafeteria tastings, student focus groups, taste tests, and promotional activities that encourage student engagement and meal participation.
• Support school gardens and Tower Garden programming and integrate food literacy into classrooms in collaboration with teachers, health educators, and community partners.
• Implement districtwide School Nutrition Lesson Plans and conduct hands-on nutrition education opportunities for interested classrooms at all grade levels.
• Develop educational and promotional materials highlighting local farms, healthy eating, and seasonal foods.
• Organize Meet the Farmer Days, farm field trips, PTO/PTA events, and other community outreach activities.
• Expand before-school, after-school, and childcare programming that introduces children and families to food literacy and local foods.
• Develop and facilitate professional development and ongoing training for School Nutrition staff in scratch cooking, local food utilization, food safety and handling, seasonal menu planning, and sustainable food practices.
• Support continuous improvement, professional growth, consistent food quality, and a positive, collaborative team environment.
• Assist with grant implementation, tracking, evaluation, and reporting.
• Collaborate with district leadership to ensure program sustainability and alignment with district goals.
• Assist in developing policies, town contracts, procedures, and operational systems.
• Support food waste reduction and sustainable practices.
• Maintain current knowledge of Farm to School best practices, school nutrition trends, and food systems education. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of School Nutrition.

Skills

Communication skills

Organization

Collaboration

Technology proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts / related field

ServSafe Manager Certification

Massachusetts Allergen Certification

Valid driver’s license

Tools

Google Suite

Spreadsheets

Food service software

Job description

North Attleboro Public Schools seeks a School Nutrition Farm & Education Coordinator to lead Farm to School, scratch cooking, school garden, and food literacy initiatives across the district. The role connects local farms, kitchens, classrooms, students, staff, and community partners to increase access to fresh, healthy meals and hands-on education.

The coordinator will oversee local procurement, culinary development, staff training, and expand nutrition education.