Planning Period

 

The Planning Period is from January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

 

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Leadership Team

 

The Leadership Team for the Planning Period will be:

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   Marcus Anderson       President

   Joseph Gentile             Treasurer

   Shannon Ryan             Elementary School Director

   Kate Bates                    Middle School Director

   Daniel Klein                  High School Director

   Jason Ferris                  Technology Director

   Lisa Cook                      Communications Coordinator

   Sarah Orr                      Event Partner 

   Shannon Fritz               Volunteer Coordinator

   Julia Wilkinson              Fundraising Director

   Marie Tsuji                    Engineering Notebook Coach

 

The Leadership Team will be responsible for administering all activities of the Plainwell Robotics Club in accordance with the Club’s Bylaws as published on November 4, 2022.

 

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Elementary School VEX IQ Robotics

 

VEX IQ Robotics Programs will continue in Cooper, Gilkey, and Starr Elementary Schools for interested 4th and 5th grade students.   We expect to have 14 returning students from last year – 8 from Cooper, 2 from Starr, and 4 from Gilkey.

 

In April, we will begin a recruiting campaign (school announcements, handouts to take home, etc.) to identify current 3rd and 4th grade students interested in joining our robotics program.   We plan to support as many as four teams per school.

 

In May, we will hold in-person sessions with these students and their parents to introduce them to VEX IQ Robotics and to explain how the Club operates.

 

We estimate that at least three new team coaches will be required at each school.

 

 

Middle School VEX VRC Robotics

 

As many as 23 students could return from last year, and 14 students are “graduating” from our VEX IQ Program.  This could result in as many as ten teams this year.

 

In April, we will begin a recruiting campaign (school announcements, handouts to take home, etc.) to identify current 6th and 7th grade students interested in joining our robotics program.  In May, we will hold in-person sessions with these students and their parents to explain how the Club operates and the requirements for team membership in the fall.  We plan to support as many as eight teams.  Two or three new team coaches may be required. 

 

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High School VEX VRC Robotics

 

There are 24 students planning to return from last year, and 4 students are “graduating” from our Middle School VEX VRC Program.  If all eligible students chose to participate, as many as eight teams will be required.  One or two new team coaches may be required. 

 

High school team members will be encouraged to act as Middle School Team Mentors.

 

 

REC Foundation Arial Drones (RAD)

 

The Club will not participate in the REC Foundation Aerial Drones Program during this Planning Period.  This decision may be reversed, however, at the discretion of the Club’s Leadership Team.

 

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Team Formation

 

All Elementary, Middle, and High School Robotics Teams will be formed in June.  Each team will consist of three or four students.  Teams of two will be allowed when necessary and with the concurrence of the appropriate Director.

 

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Coaches

 

We will conduct training sessions for all veteran, new, and prospective coaches to ensure they are fully aware of REC Foundation Policies and Regulations, the Club’s Coach’s Guide, and the Club’s Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Parents, and Students.

 

Coaches will work with their team’s students and their parents to establish practice schedules and to select tournament events.

 

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Programming Coach

 

Joseph Gentile will serve as Programming Coach for all teams.

 

 

Team Practice Schedule

 

Each team will decide its practice schedule.  Practices are expected to be held at least weekly through the end of the competition season in February 2025.  Teams may schedule additional practices at any time at the discretion of the team coach and parents.

 

The competition season for teams qualifying for the State Championships will be extended to March 2025; and into May for those teams qualifying for the World Championships in Dallas.

 

All practice sessions for IQ and middle school teams will be held at the middle school in rooms A127 and A125 (typically) from 6 PM to 8 PM on a weekday that is most convenient to everyone.  High School teams will meet in the Applied Engineering Lab (room 816) in the High School.  Attendance at all team practices will be optional, but students will be required to notify their team coach in advance whenever they are unable to attend.

 

Students will receive instructions on planning, designing, building, programming, testing, operating, and documenting robots. 

 

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Tournament Participation

 

Each of our teams will compete in at least three qualifying tournaments – one early in the competition season to experience the event (the first time for some students), and to learn as much as possible about how their robot design compares to others.  The remaining events will be scheduled between mid-December and early February.  Team members’ parents and their coach will decide which specific events they attend.

 

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Team Registration and Tournament Fees

 

Team registration fees and up to three qualifying tournament registration fees (per team) will be borne by the Club.  Participation in a fourth qualifying event may be allowed for some teams, at the discretion of the Club’s Leadership Team.  Additionally, if a team qualifies for the State of Michigan Championship the registration fee will be borne by the Club. 

 

Registration fees for tournaments held out of the state of Michigan will be paid by the Club only with the prior approval of the Club’s Leadership Team.  This includes the VEX Robotics World Championships scheduled to be held in Dallas, Texas in 2025.

 

NOTE:  Teams can only be registered for a tournament by the Club Treasurer.  There will be no exceptions.

 

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World Championship Participation Requirements

 

 [Note: This section is being rewritten and is pending approval.]

 

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PRC Tournaments

 

The Club will hold its Fourth Annual Middle School and High School VRC Tournaments on November 23 and 24, 2024.  Each tournament is expected to be a 34-team event.

 

The Club will hold its Second Annual VEX IQ Tournament on January 18, 2025.  It will be planned as a 34-team event.

 

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Team Judging Training

 

We will develop and conduct a program to give our high school teams additional training in responding more effectively during the judging sessions at competitions.  The Napoleon Robotics Club has indicated their interest in working with us to develop and conduct this program.

 

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Club Website

 

We will maintain the Clubs website, plainwellroboticsclub.org, during the Planning Period.  We will also work to ensure its value to all members of the Plainwell Robotics Club – students, coaches, and parents.

 

Respectfully submitted,

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Marcus Anderson, President

Plainwell Robotics Club

May 28, 2024