Advanced Education Policy 2012

ADVANCED EDUCATION POLICY  in effect for 2012

Why do you need to attend Advanced Education?

Continuing education is an integral part of the Master Gardener program.  For Master Gardeners to effectively serve the community outreach mission of the organization, they must stay current on horticultural topics and skills including, but not limited to:

·         new plant species

·         cultural practices

·         pruning

·         propagation

·         invasive management

·         sustainable pest control

·         landscape design and management

Master Gardeners must also develop non-plant based skills – including “people skills”.  Non-plant based skills every active volunteer needs to experience can include:

·         Hotline

·         Kiosks

·         Public presentation and speaking skills

·         Project organization and management

·         Basic computer and technology skills

Advanced Education Policy:

You need a minimum of 16 Advanced Education hours each calendar year. 

Earned hours are exclusive to the year in which they are earned.

Educational Opportunities that DO qualify for Advanced Education hours:

·         Attendance at core Master Gardener meetings and training classes

o   Annual meeting attendance (4 hours)

o   Regular URIMGA meeting attendance (2 hours)

o   Core MG Program classes (3 hours)

·         Attendance at any National or Regional MG conference, including, but not limited to:

o   RI Garden Symposium (5 hours /day)

o   CT Garden Symposium (5 hours / day)

o   Cape Cod Master Gardener Conference (5 hours / day)

o   Next International MG Conference  (5 hours / day)

·         Attendance on a URIMGA sponsored bus trip (5 hours total, regardless of trip length)

·         Any class or workshop offered by the URIMGA Advanced Education Program

·         Any gardening class or series sponsored by RWPBC

·         Any lecture given by a URI staff or faculty member on campus or through another organization or venue as approved and posted by the MG Program Coordinator

·         Any lecture or class given by a Master Gardener through the URIMGA Public Presentation program

·         URIMGA Project orientation programs or advanced experimental activities (example: Greenhouse Orientations or grafting project)

·         Other programs as approved and posted by the MG Program Coordinator or Advanced Education Coordinator, such as selected classes and walks offered by the RI Wild Plant Society, with whom the URI MGA has a signed Memorandum of Understanding.

·         Trainings offered by other partner or approved organizations

o   Master Composter Program education hours

o   Master Energy Training administered by the CELS Outreach Center

o   NOFA Organic Land Care Program attendance and repeat attendance

o   RINLA short courses and attendance at RI Horticulturalist Certification classes. Certification depends on course guidelines.

o   RI Land and Water summit

o   RI Bee Keepers School

o   New England Grows trade show

o   RI Tree Steward Certification program and continuing education courses

o   ELA conference (Ecological Landscape Association)

o   Coastal / Forest Invasive Plant Management Certification Program administered by the CELS Outreach Center

o   RI Wild Plant Society (as outlined above)

Venues that do NOT qualify for Advanced Education hours:

·         Volunteer hours served outside of approved URIMGA projects

·         Flower Shows, including speakers at Flower Shows

·         Membership meetings of groups other than URIMGA unless previously approved by the MG Program Coordinator. Currently no other organization qualifies.

·         Training courses in other states or by schools other than URI except with permission from  another state’s Extension Master Gardener Program state or county coordinator.

The following statement was added AFTER the committee meeting in response to on-going requests for  advanced education hours “exceptions”:

This list is complete and approved and applies to all courses offered in 2012.  Recommendations for new educational offerings or for organizations not on this list may be submitted to the statewide Master Gardener Coordinator (Rosanne Sherry) or the MG Advanced Education Coordinator and will be considered for 2013.

Revised 2/5/2012