Education Coordinator

MAJOR DUTIES: 

The Education Coordinator oversees the development and implementation of community and classroom educational programs. Major duties are in the following areas:

Salmon in School Program
Our primary education program is Salmon in School. The program places a fish tank in participating classrooms, provides salmon eggs from a regional hatchery, fish food and supplies, and regularly scheduled lessons, while the students experience the salmon lifecycle. In spring, the juvenile salmon are released in local streams. In the 2022-2023 school year, the program served 1,700 students at 21 sites, and released over 2,200 spring chinook. For the 2023-2024 school year, the program will add eight new sites.

• Manage in-classroom fish tanks and equipment (water chiller, filters, etc) at 29 sites in 22 schools. This includes setup, cleaning, temperature management, and tank breakdown at the end of the school year.
• Support teachers with instructions and troubleshooting.
• Monitor water quality and fish health through coordination with teachers.
• Present classroom lessons at each location monthly.
• Assemble classroom supplies for lessons (handouts, art supplies, etc).
• Refine existing lessons, and create new lessons.
• Secure the necessary state permits annually for acquisition and transport of salmon eggs.
• Create and maintain annual program budgets.
• Schedule and coordinate salmon release events.
• Seek grants to support Salmon in School.
• Seek additional participating classrooms through outreach.
• Supervise AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and/or interns, as needed, when the workload demands.
• Track student outcomes and results for annual reporting.
• Administer a survey of teachers each year for feedback to improve the program
• Recruit and hire AmeriCorps members, recruit volunteers and interns.

Community Education

Provide education and awareness to the community through social media, newspaper articles, and outreach materials.

• Contribute content for social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, with emphasis on photos and video content.
• Provide lessons as part of our team of instructors during our four-day professional development STEM workshop for educators.
• Contribute to development of outreach content and materials, such as press releases, newspaper articles, brochures, and flyers.
• Seek new outlets to educate the community about ecosystem science, our organization, and our work.
• Organize and create content for podcast and YouTube channels

Educational Programs with Partners

In partnership with our cooperators, provide experiential education programs.

• Return to the River Salmon Festival – Walla Walla Community College and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation cohost the event to recognize the return of salmon to spawn. We raise salmon in our office tank to be released at this event and table a booth at the event.
• Watershed Field Day – Assist the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council in a field day of games and lessons about watersheds.
• BioBlitz – Assist the Blue Mountain Land Trust with a one-day event featuring nature walks, investigation stations, games, and presentations.
• Pursue grant funding to participate in these programs.
• Develop new partnerships and programs.

Other Duties

• Provide monthly activity reports to the Executive Director.
• Participate in staff meetings.
• Seek and participate in training opportunities.
• Represent the Steelheaders at local and regional events.
• Assist with conducting Steelheaders’ events, such as Kids’ Fishing Days
• Assist the project manager with habitat restoration projects, as needed and as schedule allows

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, or pertinent sciences, such as Biology, Ecology, or Zoology.
• Experience in science education programs.
• Experience in delivery of K-12 classroom education.
• Interest in working in the non-profit sector.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Strong written and verbal science communication skills for a variety of audiences.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to work in a small office setting.
• Valid driver’s license and dependable transportation, or ability to acquire both upon hire.
• Problem solving skills and attitude.
• Enthusiasm, passion for, and knowledge of native salmonids, ecology, and general life sciences

DESIRED SKILLS AND INTERESTS:

• Strong desire to work in K-12 classroom settings with students of diverse backgrounds
• Grant writing experience.
• Team leadership skills.
• Spanish language skills.
• Photography and video skills.
• Experience creating social media content.
• Website design and maintenance.
• Interest and ability to teach fishing skills.
• Experience working for a non-profit organization, as a volunteer, staff, or a board member.
• A collaborative attitude is essential.