Gardening Teacher

AWSNA: Assoc. of Waldorf Schools of N. America; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 33,000 - 35,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental insurance

Voluntary vision

Flexible spending plans

Retirement plan

Tuition remission (pro-rated)

Job summary

San Francisco Waldorf School seeks a Grade School Combined Gardening Teacher / Campus Gardener. This is a 0.5 FTE role focused on hands‑on garden instruction and campus garden care.

You will develop a biodynamic gardening curriculum for kindergartens to 3rd grade, manage garden operations, support field trips, procure tools, and document progress. Collaboration with faculty is essential in this outdoors‑driven role.

Qualifications

• Waldorf Teacher Training preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree desired.
• Knowledge of and experience with biodynamic gardening.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a biodynamic gardening curriculum for 2nd year kindergarten through third grade with stories, songs, garden work and crafts.
• Site management: oversee all garden care, prep/cleanup, propagation, watering, pruning, bee management and weeding.
• Support the third-grade teacher on their annual overnight farm field trip (paid at the daily field trip rate).
• Research, procure, maintain and replace garden and educational tools and supplies.
• Review monthly budget and keep expenses within funds.
• Recruit and orient parent volunteers when needed.
• Organize garden workdays and write year-end reports and curriculum overviews.
• Other duties as required by Grade School Steering and salaried position.

Skills

Biodynamic gardening

Gardening instruction

Education

Waldorf Teacher Training preferred

Bachelor's Degree desired

Job description

Opening Statement

San Francisco Waldorf School

is seeking a Grade School Combined Gardening Teacher / Campus Gardener.

About

San Francisco Waldorf School is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, or any protected class. We recognize that the range of ethnicities, nationalities, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientation, learning differences, and life experiences within our community enhance the school’s learning environment, and we are committed to fostering equity and inclusion.

Essential Job Duties

This is a combined .5 FTE position.

Teaching Load

• Kindergarten (2nd year): one class per week, for each of the three kindergartens
• First Grade: one class per week
• Second Grade: one class per week
• Third Grade: two gardening classes per week

Gardening Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a biodynamic gardening curriculum for 2nd year kindergarten through third grade (including stories, songs, garden work, and craft/cooking activities)
• Site Management: oversee all garden care for the school, including preparation and clean-up of worksites, maintenance and seed propagation activities, watering, pruning, bee management, and weeding throughout the year
• Accompany and support the third-grade teacher on their annual overnight farm field trip, paid at the school’s daily field trip rate
• Research, identify, procure, maintain, and replace garden and educational tools and supplies
• Review monthly budget report and keep expenses within budgeted funds
• When deemed necessary, recruit and orient parent volunteers
• Organize garden workdays
• Year-end Report Writing
• Write a curriculum overview for grades 1 through 3
• Write individual year-end reports for third grade students
• Other duties as required by Grade School Steering and salaried position (such as recess duties)

Other Responsibilities

• Meetings: warmly invited to attend all faculty meetings; attendance at least once per month is appreciated, along with subject teacher meetings when possible
• Dismissal and Recess Duties: supervise up to 5–6 dismissals or recesses
• Invited but not required to attend: in-service days, beginning- and end-of-year faculty meetings, All School faculty meetings (4x/year), class plays/presentations, HS convocation, Founders’ Night, HS graduation

Schedule

School Year

• Kindergarten Ponderosa — Monday, 8:30–9:15
• Kindergarten Maple — Tuesday, 8:30–9:15
• Kindergarten Redwood — Wednesday, 10:00–10:30
• First Grade — Wednesday, 11:20–12:05
• Second Grade — Wednesday, 12:10–12:55
• Third Grade Gardening — Thursday, 11:20–12:05
• Third Grade Gardening — Thursday, 12:10–12:55

Qualifications

• Waldorf Teacher Training preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree desired
• Knowledge of and experience with biodynamic gardening

Physical Requirements And Work Environment

• Able to occasionally lift up to 30 lbs.
• Work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including heat, cold, rain, and wind
• Regularly sitting or standing 4–8 hours

Benefits And Compensation

This is a half-time position, .5 FTE (.4 FTE for gardening instruction and .1 FTE for garden and garden bed routine care). Benefits include dental, voluntary vision, flexible spending plans, a retirement plan, and pro-rated (.5) tuition remission for eligible dependents. Salaries are paid on a 12-month schedule.

$33,000 – $35,000