Outdoor Education Specialist

Outdoor Education Specialist

• Performance Profile

Position Summary:

The Outdoor Education Specialist position is a benefits-eligible, full-time 10-month position for the term of the school year, typically from August to June. This position reports to the Assistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning. The Outdoor Education Specialist creates a flexible and engaging outdoor education program aligned with The Fay School’s mission to intentionally nurture the emotional intelligence of students and empower them to become leaders. This individual inspires students to explore, discover, and grow through nature-based experiences and project-based learning. The Outdoor Education Specialist builds rapport with students and fosters positive relationships with families and Fay employees. This person works closely with the Dean of Students and Environmental Responsibility.

Responsibilities include the following:

• Uses a variety of teaching techniques and learning structures that encourage exploration and engagement with the natural world.
• Designs and maintains a dynamic Outdoor Education curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning, nature-based inquiry, and cross-curricular integration.
• Implements curriculum that supports the school’s strategic goals, including the use of the outdoors as a classroom, the development of leadership through emotional intelligence, and fostering environmental stewardship.
• Integrates outdoor experiential learning into the broader academic program in partnership with Lead, Assistant, and Specialist teachers.

• Prepares and delivers hands-on lessons using campus resources such as the Fay Forest, Fay Garden, Beehive, Buffalo Bayou, Chicken Coop, Ernie’s Place, Havens Outdoor Center, and Garden Days to support environmental and scientific literacy.
• Encourages student leadership and collaboration through outdoor group challenges and problem-solving activities.
• Promotes physical and emotional safety during all outdoor education activities, following best practices for risk management.
• Maintains lesson plans, instructional materials, and assessment tools that align with learning objectives and student development.
• Builds community connections by organizing at least one meaningful partnership, guest visit, or experiential opportunity annually related to outdoor education.
• Collaborates with faculty to increase students’ time outdoors and encourages bringing natural elements into indoor spaces.
• Supports the Primary School’s Forest Days as available.
• Participates in planning and support of community events that highlight outdoor learning and student growth.
• Uses classroom technology effectively and appropriately to document and enhance outdoor learning experiences.
• Maintains and continuously expands pedagogical knowledge related to outdoor education through ongoing professional development.
• Sets and reflects on annual professional goals.
• Attends weekly department meetings, bi-monthly faculty meetings, and in-service days.
• Volunteers for service at one or more Fay community events per year.
• Willing and able to routinely and appropriately use a personal smartphone to utilize school apps to communicate, collaborate, and fulfill responsibilities.
• Oversees the maintenance, care, and readiness of outdoor learning spaces and facilities—such as trails, gardens, and activity areas—in conjunction with the Facilities Manager, ensuring they remain safe, functional, and aligned with the program’s educational goals.

Competency Profile:

• Celebrates diversity and is proactively inclusive of all racial, cultural, socio-economic, religious, and gender groups.
• Embraces the four domains of Responsive Classroom: Engaging Academics, Positive Community, Effective Management, and Developmentally Responsive Teaching.
• Exhibits self-awareness and self-monitoring in identifying and solving student, curricular, and school problems while supporting the mission, vision, and strategic plan of the school.
• Demonstrates effective written and oral communication skills.
• Differentiates instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
• Fosters collaboration among team members to build curricula and ensure alignment with school initiatives.
• Embraces feedback and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Displays attitudes and actions that contribute to a healthy and collegial teacher culture.
• Supports and actively promotes the organization. Positively reflects the organization’s core values and addresses actions that don’t align with those values.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in a related field, master's degree preferred
• Experience designing and leading outdoor education or environmental science programs, preferably in an independent school setting
• Ability to enthusiastically work outdoors in various weather conditions including rain, cold, heat, etc., and on diverse terrain including trails, grass, decking, and pavement
• Ability to perform sustained standing and walking, navigate stairs, kneel, lift and carry up to 20 lbs., monitor children and the environment both visually and audibly, and deliver clear audible instructions
• Commitment to ongoing professional learning, including participation in at least eight hours of summer development related to outdoor education or experiential learning
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Teams