North Cascades Institute
C16 Graduate Summer Leadership Track:
Concrete Summer Learning Adventure Graduate Assistant
Title: Concrete Summer Learning Adventure Graduate Assistant (1 position available)
Supervised by: Amy Brown, Program Manager
Lindsey MacDonald, Graduate Program Coordinator
Term: Spring: Feb-May (part-time work study; approx. 10 hours/month)
Summer: June 15-August 25 (full-time)
Position Overview:
Assist Program Manager, other program staff and partners in ensuring community programs fulfill the educational mission of the Institute. Help develop and lead the Concrete Summer Learning Adventure (CSLA) program including attending all planning meetings and trainings, coordinate two-day Kulshan Creek Mountain School, and work with Glacier Peak Institute to develop community-based programming in Darrington.
This position will start in February 2017. Approximate summer camp dates of CSLA are July 10-August 3, 2017 plus training, prep and follow-up meetings. All work done before the end of spring semester (June 15) qualifies for work-study. Significant program planning and curriculum development work for CSLA and Glacier Peak Institute will need to take place before summer. Summer schedule will be based on a five-day workweek. Programming with Glacier Peak Institute will take place generally after CSLA ends, and during approximately one week of June (prep). Kulshan Creek Mountain School will take place August 16-17, 2017.
Concrete Summer Learning Adventure is a partnership between United General Hospital, the National Park Service, Concrete School District, Western Washington University and North Cascades Institute. The program seeks to address the community needs of literacy, hunger and health in Concrete, WA through a summer camp experience for Concrete students ages 5-12. The program is four weeks long and takes place in Concrete, Marblemount (NPS Compound), and other field trip locations in the Skagit Valley. Three days per week, the graduate student in this position will develop and lead programming. On Thursdays, the graduate student will assist with programming in Concrete. Because the program is still being developed, there are opportunities to play a leadership role and contribute significantly to the expansion and development of this community-based program.
Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Youth Program is a year-round educational program that engages young people ages 5 to 18 from two Skagit Valley neighborhoods in a series of monthly field trips to explore the outdoors and learn about our local watersheds. The program serves youth ages 5-18 from the Mount Vernon, WA communities of Kulshan Creek and Casa de San Jose Apartments, introducing young peopleto our region's special places, increasing their knowledge of the natural world, enhancing their self-confidence and encouraging positive social interactions with peers, adult mentors, community members and local organizations. Kulshan Creek is a unique partnershipbetween North Cascades Institute,Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest,Mount Vernon Police Department,Catholic Housing Services of Western WashingtonandNorth Cascades National Park.
Glacier Peak Institute seeks to empower youth, community and ecosystems to prosper and cultivate a shared resilient future through action-based education. GPI’s interactive programs combine nature-based curriculum with learner-led research and problem solving. By empowering students and community to identify, design and solve today’s problems, GPI aims to build interdependent resilience for posterity. GPI’s STrEaMs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) programs include in and out of school education opportunities. The graduate student will help develop and coordinate programs for a variety of ages, which may include pre-school, middle and high school student participants. GPI will work with the graduate student to identify and develop programs to better serve the local community and their connection with the surrounding ecosystem. Such programs may include mountain biking, timber management for biodiversity or development of outdoor classrooms/playgrounds for local nonprofits.
North Cascades Institute: ELC Summer Programming
As part of your Residency Portfolio, you will engage with one Family Getaway, two Base Camp days, and one adult program or conference and retreat program (if you have not completed in the spring) during your summer experience. These programs expose you to a variety of unique program types and audiences.
Family Getaways: Family Getaways provide a unique opportunity for families to gather in the North Cascades. These 3-day programs are designed for family of all shapes and sizes - parents, grandparents, children, guardians, aunts and uncles and nontraditional families. With an inspiring slate of activities and outdoor adventures designed to introduce adults and children of all ages to the wonders of the natural world.. Five Family Getaway programs are running at the Learning Center during the 2017 summer season.
Base Camp: Flexible, affordable, enriching and fun, Base Camp offers participants the opportunity to stay at the Learning Center, enjoy delicious meals, participate in naturalist-led activities and engage in camaraderie with other guests and staff. This program generally bookends other educational programs such as Family Getaways, Adult Seminars, and retreat programs. This program has a wide range of participants from little ones to retirees. Programming is created by the staff who are working the programming based on the number ages and groups signed up for the program. Participants can stay for one or more nights at a time.
Conference and Retreats Program: Conference and Retreat programs are unique programs that allow groups or individuals to customize their own mountain experience. This rental program offers space for business conferences, weddings and reunions, board retreats, staff trainings and other celebrations of all kinds. Groups who rent the Institute’s facility are also offered Naturalist hikes, big canoe trips on Diablo Lake, presentations on various natural and cultural history topics, and high quality dining experiences. Staff that work these programs gain significant customer service experience and are exposed to numerous networking opportunities with a variety of organizations.
Responsibilities:
CSLA:
● Attend planning and debrief meetings with partners and other program staff. Meetings will occur every two weeks starting in January or February, once monthly with the Advisory Team and once monthly with the program planning team (meetings every other week).
● Create enrichment curriculum and educational materials for four weeks of programming (starting in February 2017); approximately 10 hours/month February through June).
● Mentor and train WWU interns in development of certain aspects of the curriculum.
● Organize the master staffing and logistics schedule for camp along with the Americorps VISTA coordinator.
● Develop and implement 1-2 day curriculum training in June for staff and interns. Assist with additional staff training.
● Adapt curriculum throughout camp, as needed.
● Co-Lead or mentor WWU interns in leading instruction each week, including literacy components.
● Plan and implement logistics, program materials, risk management, etc.
● Plan and facilitate weekly prep meetings (1-2 hours each Monday morning) and attend weekly debrief meetings (1-2 hours each Thursday).
● Attend weekly meetings in Marblemount with NPS staff and volunteers, as needed, to assist with planning Thursday programs including logistics, teaching and supervisory roles.
Glacier Peak Institute:
● Develop community-based programming in Darrington working with the Glacier Peak Institute. Work may include coordination, development, volunteer recruitment and administrative support.
Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Program:
● With the assigned naturalist, develop and lead two-day Kulshan Creek Mountain School at the Environmental Learning Center.
Portfolio:
● To fulfill portfolio requirements, serve as education staff for assigned ELC-based education programs
● Other duties, as assigned.
Leadership Project Deliverables:
● Write final report with reflections and CSLA program evaluation.
● Updated CSLA program curriculum (saved as a pdf and as word docs in the CSLA google folder)
● Write and publish at least one Chattermarks blog on CSLA during the summer.
● Provide a set of recommendations for graduate student involvement with Glacier Peak Institute moving forward
● Leadership track rubrics and reflections
Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Environmental Education, Education, Biology, Environmental Science, Recreation, Ecology or related field.
● Passion for the Institute’s mission to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education.
● Experience teaching both youth and adults in various capacities; in the field, classroom, canoe or on the trail. Experience with younger students (ages 5-12) preferred.
● Ability to teach and model culturally responsive skills and practices.
● Knowledge of basic scientific principles and ability to teach them.
● Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to work independently and make decisions when necessary.
● Ability to monitor and model safe work habits on outdoor programs while maintaining exceptional risk management standards.
● Excellent verbal and communication skills.
● Proven ability to meet deadlines and work effectively with team members.
● Wilderness First Responder certification.
● Must be willing to work full days and evenings and occasional weekend work for Learning Center programs, including an overnight trip if program requires.
● Possession of a clear criminal history/background check and current driver’s license with acceptable driving record for the past 3 years.
DRAFT Timeline of Responsibilities*:
Dates / ResponsibilitiesJanuary 24 / CSLA Staff Planning Meeting (tbd if grads can attend)
February 14 / CSLA Advisory Committee Planning Meeting
February 28 / CSLA Coordinator Planning Meeting
February / Develop CSLA curriculum and educational materials (approximately 6-8 hours/month)
March 14 / CSLA Advisory Committee Planning Meeting
March 28 / CSLA Coordinator Planning Meeting
March / Develop CSLA curriculum and educational materials
April 11 / CSLA Advisory Committee Planning Meeting
April 25 / CSLA Coordinator Planning Meeting
April / Develop CSLA curriculum and educational materials
April / Meet with leads at Glacier Peak Institute to begin developing and coordinating programs
May 9 / CSLA Advisory Committee Planning Meeting
May 23 / CSLA Coordinator Planning Meeting
May / Develop CSLA curriculum and educational materials
June 13 / CSLA Advisory Committee Planning Meeting
June 15 / Official start of the Leadership Track
June / Finalize CSLA curriculum and educational materials
June (tbd) / Work with Glacier Peak Institute to develop and coordinate programs
June 19-21 / CSLA Training: Attend and help lead, including Curriculum Training
June 24-July 3 (tbd) / Adult and Family Programs at ELC
July 10-August 3 / Lead CSLA (4 days/week of program plus debrief meetings and planning/prep)
July tbd / Grad Days and Natural History Presentations
Mid-August / CSLA Debrief Meeting and wrap-up
Early August / Planning Meeting to develop Kulshan Creek Mountain School
August 7-25 (tbd) / Work with Glacier Peak Institute programs
August 16-17 / Lead Kulshan Creek Mountain School
August 18 / All Leadership Track written deliverables are due
August 21 / Leadership Track Presentations
August 25 / Last official day of leadership tracks
*Please note that the above dates are subject to change. This timeline is provided to offer a general idea of the CSLA, Kulshan and Glacier Peak Institute schedule in 2017. Not all work is necessarily included and will depend on the interest and availability of the graduate student.
To apply:
Please submit a cover letter and resume indicating your top three Leadership Track choices in order of preference. These materials should be sent to Amy Brown () and Lindsey MacDonald () by January 6th.