FRC Blog: Volume 14

Next FRC Coaches Chat is scheduled for Thursday, December 14 at 7:00 pm

We will be focusing on what teams need to do to prepare for kickoff during this coaches chat.  I expect the meeting to be short which will allow for either more time for all of you to connect with each other on Teams or we can close the meeting down and let you all get back to your families and preparations for the holidays. 

To join the meeting click here 

Make sure your team is prepared for kickoff! 

Kickoff is just around the corner and there are several things you need to do to be sure that you are prepared!  I know there has been some confusion because teams can opt out of the black tote and drive base but every team will receive a kickoff kit and needs to plan to pick it up from the kickoff Jan 6.   

Here is what you need to do to make sure you are prepared: 

  1. Secure your PNW FRC Registration so you can pick up your kickoff kit 
  2. If you are attending an event in person: Make sure your students are all registered on your firstinspires dashboard and that their consents have been signed.  You will need to bring a copy of your roster to kickoff and include paper consent forms for anyone who has not signed the electronic consent form. 
  3. Kit pickup:  If you are having someone other than your coach or assistant coach pick up your kickoff kit, you need to fill out a surrogate form.    You can find a link to the surrogate form as well as more information on having a surrogate pick up your kit here.

Sign Up to be an FTC Dean’s List Interviewer!

FTC Dean’s List will be remote this year, so you can interview from anywhere. Even if you’re affiliated with a team, you can be an interviewer. We’ll match you with unaffiliated candiddates. All 21+ volunteers are welcome. 

Provide your availability here! 

FRC Blog Volume 6 – Important Deadlines this week

FRC Blog Volume 6 – Important Deadlines this week

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OSPI Grant Closes Friday, September 29 at 5 pm

If you are a Washington State Public or Tribal Compact school then you are eligible for the OSPI Grant.

FIRST Washington is now administering this grant and has worked hard to simplify the process as well as make the funding available to schools as soon as possible.

Make sure you fill out the grant application by the Friday deadline

Event preferencing closes at 9 am Thursday, Sept 28

 

Event preferencing is happening now.

 

Log into your dash board on firstinspires.org to select your preferences for your first event

Remember:

  1.  You are guaranteed a spot in your home event.
  2. Because we have to leave space for teams to get into their home event, if you register for an event other than your home event, you will likely end up on a waitlist on Friday, Sept 29 when events are released.  Do not email me if you end up on a wait list, I will not respond.  What I will be doing is working with FIRST to move everyone off.  If you are still on a waitlist after we have made all of the adjustments, I will contact you on Monday, October 29.

 

 

 

Register your team with PNW FIRST

 

Less than half of our teams have filled out the PNW Registration.

You must do this by Sept 30 to be considered for a FIRST Washington grant.

Both Washington and Oregon teams must fill out this registration form every year.

Make both of our lives easier, do this now so I don’t have to pester you later in the week 🙂

 

FTC Blog Volume 7 – Some important deadlines this week

FTC Blog Volume 7 – Some important deadlines this week

OSPI Grant Closes Friday, September 29

If you are a Washington State Public or Tribal Compact school then you are eligible for the OSPI Grant.

FIRST Washington is now administering this grant and has worked hard to simplify the process as well as make the funding available to schools as soon as possible.

Make sure you fill out the grant application by the Friday deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Register with FIRST Washington by Saturday, Sept 30

There are several reasons you should register your team with FIRST Washington by this Friday

  1. To be sure you get a spot in the league closest to your team
  2. To be eligible to receive funding to lower your FIRST Washington reistration.

To see if your team is registered, follow this link:  https://firstwa.org/ftc-team-status/

If you do not see your team # on this list, than your team is not registered with FIRST Washington.

 

Make both of our lives easier and just do it now so I don’t have to pester you 🙂

FRC Blog Volume 5 – Coaches Chat this Thursday at 7 pm!

FRC Blog Volume 5 – Coaches Chat this Thursday at 7 pm!

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FIRST FRC Coaches Chat is This Thursday, Sept 21 at 7:00 pm

We will go over many things in this first coaches chat.  There is a lot of info in this first meeting.  Make sure you have a coach or mentor attend. 

  • Overview of the season
  • Important Dates & Deadlines
  • Registration with both FIRST and FIRST Washington
  • Grants and funding for teams
    • Grants through FIRST
    • FIRST Washington Grants
    • OSPI Grant
  • Event preferencing, what it is and how it works

To register for/attend this meeting, click the button below:

Make sure your team is prepared for District and Event Registration on Thursday

Make sure you are event ready on your firstinspires dashboard

 

To be able to enter your event preferencs during the first event preferencing window (Sept 21-28) your team needs to be event ready.

What does this mean?

  1. You need to have two coaches listed on your firstinspires dashboard
  2. Your main and alternate coaches need to sign their consent forms
  3. Both your main and alternate contacts need to be through youth protection screening

Once your team is event ready, wait to make any coaching changes until after you have registered for your first and second district events.

 

 

Register your team with PNW FIRST

 

You need to register with FIRST Washington by September 30th to be considered for funding to

  • Lower your FIRST Washington registration
  • To be guaranteed a spot in the league closest to you
  • To receive OSPI funding (if you are a public/tribal school)

Don’t wait, click the button below to do this now!