Beyond the Bell Instructor – Tacoma Nature Center

Salary: $17.71 – $30.00 Hourly

Location : Tacoma, WA

Job Type: Part-time, 29 hrs per week or less

Job Number: BBinstTNC23

Department: Parks and Recreation

Opening Date: 06/12/2023

Closing Date: Continuous

Job Description
Work where you play!
Join our team at Metro Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.

Who We Are
Metro Parks Tacoma (MPT) is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Metro Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70+ parks, 80+ miles of trails, 1,000+ acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.

Why You’ll Love it HereCome work with us and work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Metro Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Metro Parks are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.

Position Information
Under the direction of an Education Program Coordinator, serve as an Instructor on one or more elementary school campuses for the Beyond the Bell program. Each session is 8 weeks of programing. School breaks may occur during the session, and there will be no club activities during those breaks. This position is for the full school year.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, customers and community
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards.

Essential Duties

• Serves as a Beyond the Bell instructor at one or more Tacoma Public School sites.
• Provides an engaging and structured nature-based curriculum
• Ensures a warm welcome and check-ins for students registered in the assigned program; takes attendance.
• Provides direct supervision of all youth in club while program is occurring.
• Interfaces with parents of children enrolled.
• Effectively delivers high quality, fun programming and SEL activities
• Assists with distributing surveys and gathering data collection as well as performance outcomes.
• Participates in marketing and recruiting efforts for assigned club.
• Participates in staff meetings/trainings when offered.
• Manages behaviors and is able to make adjustments as needed in order to support youth who are enrolled in the program.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years of experience working with youth or coordinating youth programs desired.
• Bachelor’s degree in education, recreation or related degree desired.

Additional Information

• Session dates for 2023-24 School Year
  1. Session 1: September 25th – November 17th
  2. Session 2: December 4th – February 9th
  3. Session 3: February 19th – April 12th
  4. Session 4: April 22nd – June 14th
• Hours:
  1. 16-20 hours per week (M/W and T/Th clubs)
  2. Instructors will be needed on site from 3:15-6:00pm for Beyond the Bell
  3. Planning, prep, and travel time from work station included in the overall hours per week
  4. Staff meetings and/or safety trainings will be required 2-3 days per session
• Daily Club Schedule:

1. 3:30-3:45 (Welcome/Emotion Check/Snack)
2. 3:45-4:00 (SEL Spotlight)
3. 4:00-5:30 (Learning & Enrichment Activities)
4. 5:30-6:00 (Closing Circle and program check-out)

• School Locations
  1. Tacoma Nature Center supported BTB clubs are selected based on proximity to greenspaces.
  2. The expectation is that most of the Learning & Enrichment activities will take place outdoors in the greenspaces regardless of the weather. However, there will be an indoor space assigned to use for the opening and closing segments of the club and when the indoors is the best location for an activity.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:
Seeing to prepare written or hand-produced program material and reports, and monitor activities. Hearing and speaking to conduct classes and exchange information. Walking over rough or uneven surfaces during hikes and field trips. Lifting up to 25 pounds. Standing for extended periods of time. Kneeling or sitting on the ground.

HAZARDS:
Contact with dissatisfied or abusive individuals.

METRO PARKS TACOMA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability or any other merit factor. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

MPT employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

MPT is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource at

Employment is subject to a national background check.

This position is an at-will position with no written or implied contractual agreement.

Enrollment in the the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) through the Washington State Department of Retirement Services (DRS) may be mandatory.

Sick Leave: 1 hour earned for every 40 hours worked.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) –SupportLinc provides emotional wellbeing and work-life balance resources to keep you at your best. Administered by CuraLinc Healthcare, the program offers guidance to help you address and resolve everyday issues at no cost to you or your family. Features include:

Kinside – A child care benefit, connecting you with open spots and discounts of up to 20 percent at top daycares, preschools, camps and after school programs.

Community Center Fitness Pass – All Metro Parks Tacoma employees get a Staff Pass to use at our community centers.The All Center Pass allows access to all four centers – Center at Norpoint, Eastside Community Center, People’s Center and STAR Center – plus three indoor pools, all semi-outdoor fitness classes, and our exciting new online virtual community center.

Note: THIS BENEFIT OVERVIEW IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY BE MODIFIED AND/OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.