Montessori School Culinary Assistant

Summary

About our school:

MINE, ME & US Montessori School provides a nurturing, educational, authentic Montessori environment for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. We are a year-round school where children are encouraged and supported to do the important lifework of becoming a fully developed, whole person who is mindful of individual, environmental, and community responsibilities.

MINE, ME & US Montessori School employs individuals who:

• View young children as human beings deserving of the highest respect for their unique wisdom, thoughts, feelings, and intuition
• Are passionate about our natural world and about working with children to create habits of environmental stewardship
• Enjoy the world of food and feel compelled to share with young children the joys of a high-quality culinary experience
• Truly and fundamentally enjoy being around children
• Are interested in a career, not just a job
• Are available for full-time, in-person work

We are looking for a competent culinary assistant to help with the preparation of meals and culinary programs for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. MINE, ME & US Montessori School serves made-from-scratch, organic and vegetarians meals and snacks for the members of the school community each day. We also provide culinary classes and take-home meals for families. The program includes MMUMS-community culinary celebrations once per quarter and the culinary assistant will work to prepare and present the food during these events.

The ideal candidate will be a hard-working professional able to undertake a variety of cooking and food preparation tasks. This person will be comfortable working with a high degree of attention to detail and organization with the ability to move and learn quickly and take direction from others (namely the Head of Food Program and Head of School).

Duties

Job duties include:

• Working in tandem with the Head of the Food Program
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills
• Adherence of Health Department and best-practices for safe and healthy food handling
• Coordinate with teaching teams and administration to ensure compliance with established policies
• Working knowledge of and full compliance with food allergy accommodations
• Maintain trusting relationships with children, parents, and teachers in the school community
• Working directly with children to support culinary classes and food preparation tasks

Schedule:

• Full-time
• 8-hour shift (7 am - 3 pm)
• Monday to Friday, including most federal holidays (exceptions include Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July)
• Overtime available
• Occasional early evening events, such as child cooking classes
• 6 full weeks of scheduled paid time off plus some paid holidays [Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving (3 days), Fourth of July]
• One day of Faculty Professional Development each month

Requirements

• Proven experience working in the culinary world
• Working knowledge of Virginia Health Department policies and procedures
• Knowledge of best-practices for safe and healthy food handling

Nice To Haves

We rely on employees who are:

• dependable - consistent attendance and focus
• adaptable/flexible - can manage frequent changes from day-to-day in response to changing needs of children
• detail-oriented - can manage small and large tasks with multiple moving parts
• independent/self-starter - can manage time and tasks without regular supervision
• high stress tolerant - thrives in high-pressure and high-activity environment
• Calm and joyful demeanor around children

Employees are required, by law, to hold the following current certifications (may be obtained upon hiring):

• CPR/First Aid
• Virginia Preservice Training
• Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding for Educators
• ServSafe Food Manager

Benefits

Benefits include:

• Adjustable pay scale based on experience and performance
• Opportunity for advancement and earning of Montessori credential
• Paid time off after 90 days of employment and with consistent attendance
• Health insurance options
• Professional and career development support
• Freshly made lunch and snacks daily with options for take home meals
• Mentoring by experienced educators
• Tuition assistance following a year of employment

About Us

MINE, ME & US Montessori School provides a nurturing, educational, authentic Montessori environment for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. We are a year-round school where children are encouraged and supported to do the important lifework of becoming a fully developed, whole person who is mindful of individual, environmental, and community responsibilities.