NorCal FLL update 2/11 - Must RSVP for Sunday "Meet & Greet" w/ FIRST

[Jill Wilker]

1. Last call for RSVPs:   Q&A with FIRST HQ:   We are excited to have Kathy Vachon, our FIRST LEGO League Partner Services Manager from FIRST HQ visiting us for Saturday's Silicon Valley Championship.   Kathy has graciously agreed to extend her visit to meet more of the Northern California FIRST LEGO League community and participate in a Q&A and informal "meet and greet" session at The Play Space in San Jose on Sunday 2/14 at 10:30am.  RSVP is required and seating is  limited!  Details and RSVP here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/february-2016-fll-qa-with-first-registration-20992292512  

 

2. Is your team aging out or ready to move on from FIRST LEGO League?   FIRST Tech Challenge has announced a new team grant available for teams of 7th to 12th graders to get started NOW and which will also go to your next season team registration as well.  Learn more at http://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/grants     

Local NorCal FTC competitions for the 2015-2016 FIRST RES-Q season are still happening through the end of March.  So, if you want to check out the new JAVA  / Android OS / Qualcomm Snapdragon smartphone based control system - stop by at one of the upcoming tournaments and talk to the teams and watch the exciting competition.  

Some reminders for Saturday's championship attendees:


3.  MOST CRITICAL:     In gyms,  there is a strict NO food or drink policy .  If we do not obey local "house" rules,  we lose the site - possibly forever.  It is that simple.   We do have to have volunteers helping to "police" this - and if anyone associated with a team (not just team members but anyone coming with the team) does not comply,  a bad core values input will be handed into the Judge Advisor - which could result in the team being excluded from winning any award. We have continued to have parents who think that they do not need to follow the local rules and are giving the volunteers staffing the entrances a hard time.   Coaches - please educate your team parents on this and the consequences of trying to sneak/hide/argue why they deserve an exception to the clear rule - it is sad and disappointing to have a team get dinged for bad GP based on their parents' behavior.


4.  We will enforce a "team members only" touching computers anywhere near team equipment.   We continue to have ongoing issues with adults and/or youth mentors/coaches  who appear to be doing more than guiding their team but instead appear to those around them, as to be doing the work themselves of programming, fixing or similar with the team's robot.   If you have your own "real" work to do on your own computer,  don't do it in the pits where it could be misinterpreted  - keep it in the stands or other non-team work areas.  Also for those teams with youth mentors,  please do not have your youth mentor "pretend" to be a team member - you are not really fooling anyone.   


5.  We are enforcing the Pit Practice Policy - and need every coach, mentor and team member aware of this!  Please review the official NorCal Pit Practice table policy (along with the other NorCal policies) posted here:   http://www.norcalfll.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60:nor-cal-fll-team-policies&catid=54:norcal-fll-specifics&Itemid=58




Regards, 
       Jill & Mark



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Jill Wilker, Mark Edelman,   Playing At Learning, an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit   
Northern California partner for FIRST® LEGO® League and FIRST® Tech Challenge, FIRST® LEGO® League, Junior 
www.norcalfll.org     www.norcalftc.org   www.norcaljrfll.org  (510)  656-8664       www.playingatlearning.org

Host FIRST® Tech Challenge West Super-Regional Championship    www.ftcwest.org