Spanish Language Immersion Educator

Job Overview: KAEE is seeking an enthusiastic individual to work with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works (EQPW) on their K-12 environmental education program.

The Spanish Language Immersion Educator (SLIE) will work closely with the Environmental Education Manager, the Curriculum Assessment Specialist and other educators to develop, implement, and assess a robust, engaging K-12 outreach program in Lexington-Fayette County. Waste management, water quality (stormwater and sanitary sewers), sustainability and planning are the focal topics for the program.

The SLIE will work to translate existing materials into Spanish, making them both grammatically correct and culturally relevant. They will be involved in direct outreach to students and with priority given to FCPS schools with a Spanish Language Immersion program. The selected applicant will have professional development opportunities, along with the ability to network with professionals throughout the service area and state of Kentucky.

The position will be based in the EQPW offices in Lexington, KY. If you would like to have a significant impact and work with an amazing team, we encourage you to apply! Learn more about the work we do /EE.

• School-based Environmental
  
  Education:
  
  prepare and lead lessons in both English and Spanish as a part of the units of study; adapt lessons to be more culturally relatable and relevant as needed
• Field Trips: facilitate field trips to sites such as the Recycle Center, Haley Pike Waste Management Facility (capped landfill and compost pad), Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant, West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant, watershed sampling sites and other appropriate sites as they are identified, in both Spanish and English
• Out of School Time (OST): work with the OST Coordinator to prepare and lead OST activities, particularly for settings focused on Spanish-language speakers/learners; develop dual-language OST programming; adapt lessons to be more culturally relatable and relevant
• Translation and Interpretation: translate appropriate environmental education materials into Spanish; provide translation and interpretation services in support of other outreach efforts
• School & Teacher Support: assist with school events such as STEM nights; conduct school/classroom waste audits and offer guidance on addressing problems; support after school clubs related to contract objectives (e.g., Green Team, Recycle Club)
• Teacher Training: assist with the Teachers’ Environmental Academy, a week-long program aimed to equip classroom teachers with the knowledge and materials to teach about EQPW-related topics in their classrooms; recruit new TEA participants; assist with ongoing engagement of TEA alumni
• Tabling and events: staff as needed

• Spanish and English fluency: provide two resumes, one in English and one in Spanish; interviews will be conducted in both English and Spanish
• Bachelor’s degree OR 5 years of environmental education experience OR 3 years of environmental education experience and an environmental education certificate
• Self-directed team player who gets things done
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently
• Ability to work and effectively communicate with a wide range of people including staff (administrative and operational), teachers, community partners, students, volunteers and elected officials
• Dedication to equity in education
• Knowledge of culturally relevant teaching strategies
• Ability to work outdoors and complete physically demanding tasks
• Comfortable with standard software and programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook as well as Google Drive, Dropbox
• Ability to work some evenings, weekends and holidays to meet work objectives
• Willingness to undergo a background check
• A valid driver’s license and reliable access to a vehicle (educators are responsible for getting to/from lessons and programs); mileage is reimbursed according to the KY state mileage rate

• Teaching credentials, either formal or non-formal…