
Immediate
Vacancy- Decatur Eisenhower Ag Teacher/FFA Advisor
The Dwayne
O. Andreas Ag Academy (www.itstartswithag.com) seeks
an Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor to join the current Andreas Ag
Academy staff comprised of Becca Merrill, Delia Jackson, Scott Davidson, and
Clayton Thomas. The successful applicant will take up teaching duties at
Eisenhower High School as soon as possible. This new position will join an
agriculture teaching team managing three sites – one teacher at each high
school, and three at the new FFA
Agriculture Education Center; this team works cooperatively to
advise two Andreas Academy FFA Chapters. Students from Eisenhower and MacArthur
High Schools jointly operate horticulture and livestock activities.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Andreas
Academy will transition most instruction to the $11 million FFA Agriculture Education Center.
The facility is under construction and slated for completion in 2023.
This facility and adjoining production acreage will house Andreas Academy
courses and serve as a host site for regional and state chapters to meet for
special events. Responsibilities
for this posted include teaching Introduction to Agriculture and Ag Biology. These are our most pivotal courses for
new Academy students before transitioning to the new center. The
Academy is now offering 17 separate courses for older students, with
several thematic pathways available in Power and Structural Systems, Animal
Science, Plant Science, Natural Resources, Agribusiness and Leadership, and
Food Science.
Created through partnership with the Howard G.
Buffett Foundation – www.thehowardgbuffettfoundation.org – the
Andreas Academy has grown to 465 students in its fifth year of operation. Its
objective is to engage non-traditional students in exploring careers in
Agriculture. 100% of the students are FFA members, with a focus on encouraging
creative SAE immersions. More than 80 area businesses, such as Archer Daniels
Midland (ADM), media outlets, family farms and community partners operate as an
advisory panel in support of the program. The Academy continues to strengthen
ties with the four major universities in Illinois that provide agriculture
education to create strategic connections with other collegiate agricultural
programs.
An important component of Andreas Academy
activities is managing a 15-acre Living
Science Farm (www.facebook.com/LivingScienceFarm) to host
instructional enrichment activities for animal science, agriculture test and
production plots, student-run entrepreneurship, and related hands-on learning
experiences.
The successful applicant may have a special
interest in one or more focus areas but must demonstrate proficiency in
facilitating classwork for each pathway. Instructors utilize both CASE
curriculum and other online-focused resources to deliver content. The Academy
covers costs for CASE training and other relevant professional development
opportunities. This position offers a competitive salary/benefits package,
including significant additional compensation through the Three Circle Grant. To apply for the position click here.
Please direct email or phone
inquiries to:
Zach Shields
Executive Director – Decatur Public Schools Foundation
zshields@dps61.org
(217) 362-3042 (office)
(217) 853-4722 (cell)
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Megan Coy
Facilitating Coordination in Ag Education (FCAE)
Phone: 217-493-8791 Cell: 217-493-8791
Email: mcoy@ilaged.org
Address: 801 N. Country Fair Dr, Champaign, IL 61820