Isle of Wight County Schools has created two year-round farm hand positions with the goal of employing students with disabilities who graduate from the school system.

The new graduates would work at the school’s “land lab,” a student-run working farm behind Windsor Elementary, three days a week. There, they would be tasked with cleaning the barn, animal enclosures and farm equipment, feeding and keeping inventory of the farm’s animals, and maintaining the grounds.

One position would be a morning shift from 8 to 10. The other would be an afternoon shift from noon to 2. Both positions would pay $11 an hour, Virginia’s current minimum wage.

The new positions, according to Superintendent Dr. Jim Thornton, would provide the new graduates with an “opportunity to work in our community, to earn a living, and to participate fully as adults.”

Isle of Wight County Schools currently partners with Virginia’s Division of Rehabilitative Services to offer pre-employment transition services to high school students with disabilities. The candidate pool for the new positions would be funneled through this partnership.

According to Daniel Judkins, the school system’s farm manager, applicants would need to be able to lift 50-plus pounds, the average weight of a feed bag, and work outdoors on hot summer and cold winter days.

“Farm work is not easy,” Judkins said.

“Students, as they graduate, will have the opportunity to apply for this position and become an employee of Isle of Wight County Schools,” said Patricia Magner, Isle of Wight’s director of special education.