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-locateâ€� 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 30^th, 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

1. CLT Dates & Locations 2011:

Check: http://www.landscapeontario.com/attach/1280927767.Student_package.pdf

Visit www.horttrades.com/clt

Student Test Options for 2010

  ï�² 1. Installation:

• Sod Installation

• Tree Planting and Staking

• Plant Layout

� 2. Maintenance:

• Pruning

• 21� Mower

• Line Trimmer/Edger

2. 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

3. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?

8. Web Site:  http://www.horttrades.com/horticulture-ontario-secondary-teachers-association

·         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?

9. 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