Trip to Water Treatment Plants

Don't forget to return your form for the Water Treatment Plant field trip running Wednesday December 3rd!  We will be learning about how our waste water from our houses (yuck!) is treated before it is allowed back into our watershed, and how water from Georgian Bay is treated to make it safe for drinking from our taps.  On our tour our guide will also talk to you about future jobs in the water treatment field as many people in this sector will be retiring in the coming years, leaving job openings for the future.

If you don't already have a form, please see Ms Kaster in guidance or Ms Stephens in Science.

The Worms are Coming!

WORMS COMING TO SCI!

Join us Thursday November 27th for a Vermicomposting workshop!  All students and staff welcome.

Don't miss the arrival of our newest little critters to SCI - worms!  On Thursday November 27th, Cathy Nesbitt of Cathy's Crawly Composters will be delivering 3 dynamic and interactive workshops on Vermicomposting otherwise known as worm composting.  Learn how we can convert SCI's organic waste into nutrient rich fertilizer to support the growth of our plants in the greenhouse.

Workshops will be as follows:

Period 2: Ms Stephens Environmental Science Class
Lunch Hour: Interested students and staff
Period 3: Mr Wheatcroft's Green Industries Class

SHSM students are welcome to attend any of the workshops - please sign-up ahead of time on the sign-up sheet in guidance.

On October 23^rd,  15 of our Environmental SHSM students travelled to the University of Guelph for an SHSM training day.  Students participated in two interactive training sessions where they learned about Plant Management and Habitat Restoration using plant species.  The above image shows 6 of our students enjoying a tour of the Guelph research greenhouses where they used some impressive research technology to measure light intensity, carbon dioxide output, soil pH and soil moisture and nutrient levels.

Trip To Guelph University Oct 23rd

All SHSM students that are considering following the University pathway are invited to travel to the University of Guelph to complete two SHSM trainings.  You should have received a permission form in homeroom, but if you didn't, see Mr Murray or Ms Stephens.  Permission forms should be returned by Oct 16th to ensure the trip will run.

Habitat Restoration Training

Our SHSM students could not have asked for a more perfect day to head out to Minesing and rehabilitate the shores of Willow Creek.  Our SCI SHSM students teamed up with students from St. Joe's high school and spent a day building deflector wings in the Willow Creek under the guidance of aquatic biologists from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.  The deflector wings are made from old pine trees that are anchored to the side of the shore.  Over time sediment will build up in the trees, and when there is enough sediment build up dormant willow stakes will be planted.  The roots of the willow will stabilize the newly formed portion of the stream bank.  These deflector wings will help redirect the water in willow creek to increase the quality of the habitat.  Way to go SHSM students - not only did you learn a lot about habitat restoration, you have helped restore habitat in a creek that flows through the Minesing Wetlands - a wetland of international importance!

Welcome Back to a New School Year

What is Enviro SHSM?
Enviro SHSM is a specialized program designed within your regular high school courses to provide you with opportunities to explore the environmental sector. The program is open to students in any pathway who may be interested in pursuing careers related to the environment. Students are welcome to try the program out for a while to see if a green career is right for you. Through this program students will build a foundation of environmentally focused knowledge and skills, gain valuable work experience, and receive training and certifications in such areas as CPR, leadership and GPS. There is no cost associated with this program and students in all grades are encouraged to see Ms Stephens or Mr Murray in the guidance office to chat about how their specific interests could translate into a green career one day.

Why Get Involved?
According to the Environmental Careers Organization (eco.ca), Canadians will be seeing substantial growth in the environmental sector over the next five years. Something else that might peak your interest is that “Canada’s environmental sector is facing labour shortages all across the board due to the combination of an aging workforce and a demand for employees.” The prospects available in the “green” job market over the coming years are very exciting. Green careers exist in all areas – business, law, communications, sciences, geography, construction, parks and recreation, technology…. the possibilities are endless.