HOSTA Minutes Friday, April 8, 2011
Humber College
1.
Humber
College Presentation: Terrie Greco and Harry Chang
Most common feedback from employers
to Humber is that students require the soft skills; punctual, reliable, get
along with people, social skills, polite. Humber’s Horticulture
Pre-apprenticeship program for women is a unique opportunity. The apprenticeship programs have many
financial opportunities. Red seal trade. View their site for more program
information.
CO-OP opportunities for high school
students at Humber in greenhouse or arboretum. High school visits in May/June
at Humber are a possibility.
Harry Chang can assist in making
connections with industry to receive supplies such as precast or natural stone
for high school programs.
2.
Canada Blooms and the Home Show are going to
“Co-locate†at the Direct Energy Centre. Tickets for $18 will cover both shows.
It will now be a 10 day show; meaning one of the weeks will not be during March
Break.
3. HOSTA Updates: Shane Jones to Past President. Al
Nason to President. Michelle Chalmers steps down from Past President. Website
coordinator/maintainer position: Connor and Andy. Al is looking for members
willing to commit to helping with HOSTA.
4. HOSTA Website on Landscape Ontario:
hortrades.com. Landscape Ontario site, Trade Association button, pull down menu
under professional development. The
website will be a means of communication for all members. Ideas can be posted
on the site. Website will have a link to google groups for forum type
questions, concerns and discussions.
http://www.horttrades.com/horticulture-ontario-secondary-teachers-association
The site needs pictures and information;
please submit as prepared to Andy Owens (creekpaddler@hotmail.com) or Connor
Morris (morrisc@hdsb.on.ca).
HOSTA will remain as a group name but links
can be added for all Green Industries subgroups under HOSTA.
5.
Video
Conferencing: To increase HOSTA membership in all of Ontario video conferencing
will be trialed at the next meeting by James. Wendy will produce a letter to
all tech heads to educate and encourage membership.
6.
SKILLS Competition: The whole scope will be
posted in next few days; a few weeks earlier than normal. Shane is stepping
down, Al is going to run it with Scott and Chris with the plan for next year of
Al stepping down. 19 teams.
Landscape Design will be a demonstration at
the Provincial competition. The Dynascape contact information can be obtained
from Wendy Peters. 10 teams.
7.
OCTE in the future has a goal of having mini-conferences
for subject specific focuses at their spring conference.
8.
Sally Harvey: Landscape Ontario report presented
by Michelle attached at end of agenda (item #15). Good to have a group activity
(scavenger hunt) on our website for Congress and Canada Blooms.
9.
Financial Literacy Initiative and MOE Update: Read
page 13. There is an opportunity and funding to create some activities or PD
focused on Financial Literacy. There is two days of training to prepare for
this. Connor will attend.
10. Summer
OTF Camp: HOSTA July 27-29 in Toronto (Maybe at Humber?). Tentatively 11 people
now, need 16.
HOSTA July 27-29, Toronto (gr. 9-12)
Landscape Construction and Financing Skills Technology teachers,
come learn how to build a school garden and your students’ Financial Literacy
skills. Explore the importance of
being financially literate to achieve success in the landscaping industry while
developing practical technology skills.
Visit
the OTF site to register. http://www.otffeo.on.ca/english/pro_summer_program.php
HOSTA is recognized as a subject
specific group. Our concerns are listened to. Plenty of information will be
passed on via Shane to our website. Shane will attend 4 meetings a year as part
of OTF.
11. AQ
Courses: Michelle has written an online 9/10 course for Western. Wendy has
written the course for 9/10 and is writing the 11/12 for U of T.
5 years work experience to take 11/12 AQ.
Brock is also putting a program together.
12. DR
SG Roberston travelling fellowship for teachers. Goal is to take a variety of
short trips to visit European gardens. Michelle is going to Europe for a year
to gather information. She will keep us up to date on her research.
13. Next
Meeting at Humber College Friday September 30th, 2011.
14. Questions
to consider:
a.
Al is looking for a Vice Chair
b.
What do you want from HOSTA?
i.
Enlarging and forming subgroups
ii.
Best practices or strategies for teaching
iii.
Break into groups to share group specific
resources (forestry,floriculture….)
iv.
Sharing of resources; 1 recipient per meeting
c.
Floristry is Jan Prentice & Ronda Nix;
Agriculture Eckhard Lutz; Horticulture Al Nason; Landscaping Chris; Forestry
Mark Thompson & Andy Owens.
d.
Google Groups: Al will show how to link to
google groups.
e.
Majesta $17,500 for school ground improvement.
From Trees Canada and Majesta. Search for more information to apply.
15. Landscape
Ontario Updates From Sally Harvey
- CLT Dates & Locations
2011:
Check: http://www.landscapeontario.com/attach/1280927767.Student_package.pdf
Visit www.horttrades.com/clt
Student Test Options for 2010
ï² 1. Installation:
•
Sod Installation
•
Tree Planting and Staking
•
Plant Layout
ï² 2. Maintenance:
•
Pruning
•
21†Mower
• Line Trimmer/Edger
- Reminder:
Horticulture Review Magazine:
·
Free
electronically to all students �” e-mail: alindsay@landscapeontario.com with class e-mail list
·
Please
send photos of SHSM activities for HR to sharvey@landscapeontraio.com
- Congress 2011:
- We had over 700 students in 2011 �” lower than 2010 Thank you for
your support! - Student passes to be repeated for 2011
- Do you want a seminar organized for students?
4. Apprenticeship:
·
Red Seal
Exam finalized and should be in circulation soon
·
TDA
Expansion: RBG & Loyalist College
- Skills Ontario:
May 2 & 3 2011
- 19 Teams �” Landscape Gardening
- 10 Teams in Landscape
Design ( A few cancellations) - Looking for set up volunteers- See Shane & Al
- Stihl continues to support
- Canada Blooms:
- Notre Dame attended �” with amazing experiential learning
opportunities. The kids were awesome! - L.O. had too ambitious a garden this year to properly engage the students.
- Re-think this opportunity? Processes?
- L.O. wants to provide experiential learning opportunities �” to do
so well �” we need names and #’s submitted earlier. We will improve our
processes - Next year will need name sin Feb. and will assign with activities
and crews �” as much as possible - 2012 �” Possible date change �” TBA
- OTF Training:
·
L.O. Not available July 25/26
·
Better to host at Landscape Ontario �” Milton to take advantage
of tools, materials and site well set up for us and experiential learning
already set up indoors and outdoors
·
All teachers must have and wear their own
PPE: Steel toed work boots, hard hat, safety gloves, hearing protection, hand
protection and have pants and long sleeves for when the task requires it. Make
sure it fits and that you are comfortable wearing all prior to sessions.
·
When will the event be confirmed?
·
How are we promoting it?
·
Needs information input, photos
·
Needs a content provider to send to sharvey@landscapeontario.com
·
Skills link should be there?
·
OTF link?
·
Have we marketed to the entire HOSTA contact
list?
- L.O. Scholarships:
·
5- $1000.00 �” post secondary training not
including Apprenticeship
·
10 -$400.00 Apprenticeship destination
http://www.landscapeontario.com/attach/1271958995.Highschool_scholarship_brochure_2009.pdf
