Outdoor Education Facilitator

POSITION TITLE: Facilitator - Outdoor School 
DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Principal
CONTRACTED LENGTH TERM: 180 days, paraprofessional (1-YEAR POSITION)
SALARY: Building Level Support – Non Exempt (range $18.00 - $22.40 based on the 24/25 salary schedules and  related experience)
START DATE: August 12, 2024

OVERVIEW
What if there was a place where young people are radically seen?
Where courage is fostered through new experiences in the outdoors?
Where confidence was activated by community connection and transformation was just a part of our natural rhythm?
What if there was a school with no walls?

WELCOME TO OUTER RANGE. 

This is not an ordinary parapfrofessional role, and this is not an ordinary school. Outer Range is a public outdoor school that believes the young people in our community have boundless potential. Our noble purpose is for all members of our community (adults too) to be radically seen and supported through meaningful relationships and transformational experiences. Learning experiences are designed (we do not follow a prescribed curriculum) to engage students in an extensive process, putting their inquiry, problem solving, and communication skills into action. With nature as our classroom, we are constantly inspired by our place and transformed by the stories we gather from one another.  

Outer Range exists to shift what education can look like in Montrose County. Educators challenge the status quo and advocate fiercely for a shift in the paradigm towards learner centeredness.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
This innovative outdoor education facilitator position for 2024/25 will build on our first year of learning in developing a new approach to school. This facilitator will work closely with staff, students, and community to design and facilitate in one of our learning cohorts, serving students ages 5-18. You will be joining a small dedicated team of dynamic educators who work closely together to create meaningful learning experiences for our students. You should be willing to work in a collaborative interdisciplinary way and transcend traditional content areas. You should be passionate about students, families, and educational change. You hold relationships at the center while embodying an entrepreneurial spirit of a founding educator. This position is a unique opportunity for an innovative human to grow and thrive.

As the ideal candidate, you bring experience or willingness to embrace the following:

• supporting the conditions where deep learning and exploration can occur
• holding a mindset of starting first with students and their needs 
• experiencing productive struggle and adapting to frequent changes
• existing with vulnerability, humility, curiosity, and asset-based thinking 
• being comfortable with not “holding the knowledge;” sharing power
• supporting students in a variety of ages grade levels (all adults know all students and share responsibility for their growth) 
• working in a deeply collaborative, interdisciplinary way with a small, dynamic team
• prioritizing relationships and providing direct instruction in social-emotional growth
• supporting instruction and learning experiences that transcend traditional content areas and ideas 
• learning alongside students as a lens to develop a greater understanding of the world

We humbly ask for,  but do not require, an interesting (meaning not stock, boring, or typical) cover letter to accompany your application. As a fun challenge, we invite you to include the words "pillow" and "raccoon" in your letter. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Positively and compassionately respond to the needs of students of all ages
• Co-teach learning experiences; small group lessons/activities through a project-based, teacher/student designed curriculum
• Work collaboratively with educators and students to design and implement daily routines and engaging instruction
• Independently plan and facilitate small group lessons
• Actively supervise risky/messy play and student-led exploration in familiar and unfamiliar terrain
• Support students and teachers during off-site expeditions
• Actively model genuine wonder and curiosity, show passion and energy for learning new skills or ideas
• Engage in on-going professional development to build capacity in supporting students with social-emotional growth and with outdoor skills
• Measure progress and student success in meaningful, authentic ways utilizing Outer Range key competencies
• Embrace Outer Range mission, noble purpose, and values while working closely with a dynamic team

EXPERIENCE:

• One year of paid or volunteer experience working with groups of children.
• Outdoor education experience 
• Being active in the outdoors in a variety of situations in all four seasons
• Passion and experience in outdoor expeditions or learning
• Experience with diverse student populations
• Experience with engaging parents and community stakeholders 
• Language skills 
• Excellent written and oral skills.
• Ability to work and be active in the outdoors in all weather conditions and all four seasons
• Demonstrated ability to assess and manage risk in the outdoors
• Experience guiding students through the inquiry process with careful questioning and feedback

BENEFIT SUMMARY

• Work is performed in a standard classroom setting with some work being performed at various District properties and off-site locations.
• Heavy lifting, bending, stooping, sitting, standing for long periods of time may be required.
• Persons performing service in this position classification will exert 5 to 25 pounds of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. 
• Exposure to hot, cold, wet, humid, or windy conditions caused by weather may occasionally be experienced.
• Perceiving the nature of sound, near and far vision, depth perception, providing oral information, the manual dexterity to operate business related equipment, and handling and working with various materials and objects are important aspects of this job.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.