MINUTES: Meeting of the Geography Teachers’ Association of NSW Council

Wednesday 20th July 2016.

PTC Office, 25 Nyrang Street Lidcombe
Start: 4:30 pm Finish 6.50 pm.

Tour of new PTC office and GTA space preceded the meeting.

Item / Leader / Detail
Present / LC, MB, PA, LS, SW, SM, GL, JL, NH
Apologies / SC, GK, MP, DL
Minutes of previous two meetings (May, and June)
-  Accepted
-  Moved
-  Seconded / Lorraine Chaffer / Both sets of minutes accepted as accurate representations
Moved: MB, PA
Seconded: PA, JL.
Financial report / Unavailable
Business arising from previous meeting / Lorraine Chaffer / Proposals from June meeting
-  Quorum numbers: Proposal for AGM
ACTION: Notice to be sent members about variation in numbers. Trial Skype facilities in new PTC venue over next few months.
- Council membership requirements: Minimum meeting attendance. Discussion from June meeting.
ACTION: Small group to look at old Councillor Role statements via GOOGLE Docs for councillor comments. LC to send via link.
-  Bulletin editions: Approval for HSC Special edition. Articles from HSC teachers. Include links to online resources.
ACTION: LC to prepare email notification for contributions to the edition and promote through social media
-  Discussion on Fieldwork. Year of Fieldwork in UK (SM). Geogspace fieldwork resources. Further discussion at next meeting re GTA YOF
-  Award of Geoff Connolly – LC and SM. To be awarded at AGM. Option to award at Annual Conference. MOTION: Moved JL. Sec: SM. Carried unanimously
Correspondence / Lorraine Chaffer / Emails re conference and HSC materials.
Feedback positive, Use of DropBox successful
ACTION
Continue practice for 2017 activities - organisers IC
PTC – new address for snail mail – need to change contact details
PO Box 699. Lidcombe. 1825 (Flyers, website & other publications)
PTC – Governance workshop: Information about operating an association.
LC to attend, other councillors invited (3 members / association/ one cost)
President’s report / LC for absent SC / - Office clean up and move: Thanks to JL, LC and Peter MacLean
- Surplus Global Ed books to go to Newcastle University (PTC accepted a request) LC requested boxes of 4 selected editions for GTA conferences.
- Old Fieldwork competition items.
ACTION
Councillors to sort then post to schools (next meeting). One off cost.
Possible inclusion of cost for return postage on future entry forms.
Further follow up discussion required
- Old poster cartoon sets, found in the clean up, have been collated by LC
To be kept as prizes at conferences rather than sold (unanimous decision).
- Old Oceanwatch stimulus resources to be prize at Coffs Harbour
NOTE: PTC can digitise old bulletins and files on request.
Report: Proposals from June meeting / - Presenter payment system: JL explained.
ACTION: LC to find out what other associations do
-  Badges: Motion: JL Investigate cost of new badges, Sec:
ACTION: GL to investigate.
-  New business cards ready
ACTION SM to distribute
Update: Regional NSW Mini Conference / Sharon McLean / Coffs Harbour 29/7: 24 registered to date & 20 for Wagga on 12/8.
Accreditation approved. Unis have been contacted inviting pre-service teachers. Stimulus material organised.
Publishers asked to supply brochures for unmanned exhibition table.
Old Oceanwatch resources and cartoons to be used as prizes
Boxes of Global Ed booklets for new syllabus to be given away
Update: Geography Bulletin / Lorraine Chaffer / Edition 1 online; See Business arising.
Edition 2: See Business arising
Special HSC Edition: See Business arising
ACTION
LC to remind PTC to email members when bulletin goes online
Any other business / Proposal for planning day in term 3 for 2017 with relief for those in schools.
ACTION:
LC to propose dates. Early term 4.
Councillors agree on a date and propose possible presenters from outside GTA. e.g. F.O.M.
Special trial events
a. Tweed Heads HSC lecture day trial. Banora Point. Discussion about use of taped HSC resources. $500 to GTA for use of resource/ LC costs covered by school.
LS has access to facilities for Adobe Connect via Aurora Virtual College for remote broadcasting – investigate use of HS lectures for remote locations via Aurora.
b. Twilight workshop for Cootamundra central schools. LC to do 2hr twilight session at Cootamundra. $500 to GTA and LC extra costs over regional conference covered by the schools. Application for accreditation completed.
Conflict of Commercial Interest policy subsequent meeting procedure amendment.
1. LC moved Sec: MB Carried
For any GTA event, GTA Councillors must declare any conflict of interest between their personal business interests (e.g. textbook authors, educational products, private coaching or professional learning business activities) and their GTA council responsibilities, which include upholding the high esteem with which GTA is held as a professional not for profit organisation independent of the outside influences.
2. LC moved Sec SM Carried
That the GTA council meeting agenda be amended to include a requirement for members to state any conflict of interest in relation to matters on the “agenda" or that may arise during "business arising" or "other matters”. Such conflicts to be recorded in minutes and action taken when appropriate.
3. Prop: SW moved: Sec: MB. Carried
Where a possible conflict of interest has arisen, personal contact to be made as a matter of courtesy by a member of the executive for immediate clarification from the parties involved.
ACTION
LC to prepare policy for next meeting
Other GTS policies to be reviewed or developed to clarify GTA activities.
Geography K-10 syllabus
SW Asked what programming resources were available for new NSW Geog Syllabus.
Responses included BOSTES, DET sample, Geography Teachers online, State Library, Qld resources. LC provided link to DEC samples
Other matters
* Request for temporary Geodate Editor. 3 issues @ $600 per issue. NH contact
GL – can GTA be considered a Quality Teacher provider?? BOSTES process.
*Question about Life Members of GTA. Identify ways to acknowledge. (JL)
NH recalls past recognition.
ACTION
LC to investigate what other associations do via contacts through PTC Board.
LC prepare proposal for next meeting.
* AGTA Melbourne conference information. Request for presenters.
* LC to attend HSIE meeting of Associations and Tertiary providers at State library for SC.
Next meeting / Wednesday August 24th
Meeting closed / 6.50 pm

GTA NSW | Meeting 15 June 2016