Overview

The objective of the School Based Cultural Specialist is to provide direct support for teachers and students participating in the Opening the Box of Traditional Ecological Knowledge: STEAM Pathways for High School Students project, which is administered through the Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) Education Department. Independent judgement is required to plan, prioritize, and organize diversified workloads. This position will be responsible for scheduling with individual teachers to provide planning and in-class support for traditional ecological knowledge content and collaboration with Elders and additional cultural specialists.   

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into high school science curriculum development and assistance with lesson delivery
• Facilitate community connections for classroom presentations by Elders and additional cultural specialists ensuring appropriate introductions, invitations, and compensation.
• Participation in monthly community of practice meetings
• Coordination/instruction at annual Academies
• Support for planning and instruction for annual professional development
• Provide feedback to evaluators and Leadership team about school-based activities

Qualifications

• Expertise in traditional ecological knowledge specific to Southeast Alaska Native culture and Southeast Alaska’s communities
• Experience in secondary education
• Demonstrated effective verbal and interpersonal communication skills

Supervisory responsibility

This position will not have supervisory responsibilities.

Work environment

This position’s duties are performed at the Walter Soboleff Building and schools within the Juneau School District. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to verbally communicate. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds.

Position type and expected hours of work

This is a full-time year around position with Sealaska Heritage’s Education Department. Hours may occasionally vary with the needs of Sealaska and various grant programs.

Travel

Frequent travel between the Walter Soboleff Building, Thunder Mountain High School, and Juneau Douglas High School will be necessary for this position. Applicant must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and a reliable means of transportation. Travel time and mileage will be compensated.

Required education and experience

• High school diploma
• Experience working with high school age students
• Experience sharing traditional ecological knowledge specific to Southeast Alaska Native culture and Southeast Alaska’s communities

Preferred education and experience

• 2 years of professional work in the education or project-related field
• Proficiency in at least one Southeast Alaskan language

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.