Rooted School Garden Educator – Huegel Elementary School

Rooted's Gardener-in-Residence Program

Rooted's Gardener-in-Residence Program is seeking an experienced educator and grower to serve as School Garden Educator at Huegel Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin for the 2026–2027 school year.

Rooted, formed in 2020, grows a community-led, sustainable food system through urban agriculture education, food production, and land access so that people can grow and thrive in healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Rooted connects communities across the north and south sides through its three core sites—Troy Farm, the Madison School Farm, and the Badger Rock Neighborhood Center & Urban Farm—as well as a network of community and school gardens.

Rooted’s Gardener-in-Residence (GiR) program provides engaging, hands-in-the-dirt garden education in partnership with participating Madison Metropolitan School District schools. All school gardens are unique, but our mission at each site is the same:
To help students experience the joy of growing and eating fresh food while building agricultural knowledge and cultivating environmental stewardship.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and knowledgeable School Garden Educator to lead garden-based learning experiences for students at Huegel Elementary School. The School Garden Educator will provide hands-on garden lessons that connect students to food, agriculture, ecology, and the natural world. Through experiential learning, the educator will foster curiosity, environmental stewardship, teamwork, and healthy eating habits while maintaining a vibrant and productive school garden.

This position is part of Rooted's Gardener-in-Residence Program and works closely with school staff, students, families, volunteers, and Rooted team members to create meaningful educational experiences.

• 20 hours of training; 10 hours of Teaching in Nature’s Classroom coursework + 10 hours with Rooted staff in late August/ early September
• Huegel Elementary: 10 weeks in fall 2026 and 10 weeks in spring 2027 - 10 hours/ week (8 hours teaching + 2 hours planning/ prep). Garden class schedule to be determined with school garden liaison.

• $20/ hour, part-time LTE

• Plan and facilitate engaging, age-appropriate garden-based lessons for elementary students.
• Deliver hands-on educational experiences that align with school curriculum and learning objectives when appropriate.
• Incorporate topics such as plant science, ecology, nutrition, food systems, pollinators, composting, and environmental stewardship.
• Create an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for students of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
• Encourage student leadership, curiosity, and connection to the garden space.

• Maintain and oversee the school garden throughout the growing season.
• Develop seasonal planting plans and coordinate planting, harvesting, and garden maintenance activities.
• Manage garden supplies, tools, and educational materials.
• Implement sustainable gardening practices, including composting, soil health management, and pollinator-friendly gardening.
• Coordinate summer garden care as needed.

• Build positive relationships with teachers, administrators, families, and community partners.
• Support volunteers assisting in the garden.
• Attend garden-related events, workdays, harvest celebrations, and community engagement opportunities, schedule permitting.
• Collaborate with Rooted staff and fellow Gardener-in-Residence educators to share resources and best practices.

• Maintain lesson plans, attendance records, and program documentation.
• Participate in trainings and professional development opportunities.
• Assist with program evaluation and reporting requirements.
• Adhere to Rooted policies and school district guidelines.
• Communicates regularly with Rooted Farm to School Director based on a mutually agreed upon schedule.
• Responsible for communicating with school staff to establish a schedule for garden lessons and responding to emails within 48 hours to ensure program efficiency…