On November 17th from 5-6:45pm, we will have a FLL Parent Night. Each team will have the opportunity to practice presenting, show off what they've learned, and celebrate with families before the event. Everyone should do their best to attend. If you cannot, please inform your coach.
Who: Anyone who would like to attend! Family members, friends, students from other programs, etc.
Where: Innovation Center and surrounding area. (Follow signs posted)
When: November 17th, 5:00pm - 7pm
Why: Celebrate with Popcorn, some fun activities, and more.
FLL Explore - Show off your models and poster to family and friends!
See FLL Challenge (4th and 5th Grade) watch their presentations and watch them run matches with their LEGO robot.
See FTC (Middle School) show off their robot and watch them run matches
What Else: Team shirts will also be available for pickup.
Feel free to bring goodies to share! (Cookies, Chips, Juice Boxes, etc.). They can be brought the week before, or at the beginning of our evening. All leftovers will be used as snacks for our final week of practices.
FLL Explore | Little Joes | K-3 - Presenting Schedule:
5:05-5:20 -> Little Joes Purple; Little Joes Yellow
5:25-5:40 -> Little Joes Green; Little Joes Peach
5:45-6:00-> Little Joes Lavender; Little Joes Orange
6:10-6:25 -> Little Joes Navy; Little Joes Teal
6:30-6:45 -> Little Joes Red; Little Joes Blue
**If you are unable to attend our celebration event, please notify your child’s coach during practices next week.
The official event site can be found here
WHEN: Saturday, November 22nd
WHERE: Lakeshore High School
5771 Cleveland Avenue
Stevensville, MI 49217
At competitions, our teams function potluck style. All families are asked to bring a dish (or a few to pass), and all family members can eat! No payment, no waiting on food services, and no pre-ordering.
Please sign up to bring food here.
We ask that each family signs up for at least one slot. More slots will be added as the base needs are filled. Thank you for helping out!
Key times: -
8:40am - Display Rooms available for setup (Coaches)
8:50am - Student Arrival
9:20am - Opening Ceremonies (Sit with team in gym)
10am thru 11:25 - FLLE Team Reviews and Activities
11:30am - Team Displays and Activities area open to Family, Friends and Spectators
12:50pm - FLL Explore Awards Ceremony - Prior to FLL Challenge Resuming Robot Matches
Q: Can parents watch Judging?
A: No. Judging is limited to one to two coaches who is a silent observer
Q: Can I go back with the team?
A: No. Space is limited, so only teams and their coach(es) are allowed back. If you would like to be with the teams, you may volunteer. Please email Tim Dunaj(Event Coordinator) at tim.dunaj@gmail.com saying you would like to volunteer for FLL Explore. Options may include Reviewers (aka Judges), Activity Leaders, and Team Guides.
Q: Can I eat with the team?
A: Of course. Food will be potluck style, and all families are welcome to eat during the lunch break. We just ask that kids are fed first since they are on a schedule.
Q: Does my kid need to stay the whole time?
A: Yes. They have specific activities outlined for them, and the awards ceremony is when they find out what award they won.
Q: How can I help?
A: Sign up to bring food first. Additionally, the program could use some help in the lunchroom to organize all the food, keep the area clean, and restock items throughout the day.
All parents will be receiving a link to sign their child up for their team. These are expected to be sent out to each team prior to October 15th.
Important - Make sure to sign up your child up for their team! This is required to attend the competition and participate. Links will be sent out as soon as they are available.
Parents & Adults - If you have been helping as a mentor or supervoisor, please sign up for the team too!
DUE OCTOBER 27th!
If you have issues making an account or signing in, you will need to contact FIRST HQ.
Want to order a shirt to match the team(s)? Check out our online store here. ONLY 5 DAYS TO ORDER! - Store Closes on SUNDAY
STUDENTS AND COACHES RECEIVE ONE SHIRT PER SEASON. This is included in the Participation Fee. Only order shirts if you would like more than the one provided.
If the school has a half day, all team practices will occur at the usual scheduled time.
Missed the parent meeting this past Tuesday? Check out the meeting slides here.
If you are willing to help please check out the Ways to Help page under Events/Competitions.
Please be advised that I (Morgan) will be out of office starting on October 17th until the 27th. Please contact your child's coach if you need anything at this time. Emails recieved during this time will recieve a resonse once I return.
Welcome to the first week!
Action Items:
Read the previous blog post(s) - information will not be repeated.
More info about Transportation
More info about Snack
Where the Practices are Held
Important Dates
The schools and the transportaiton department have been notified about all students who are taking the bus. Each adult listed under the child's signup received an email on 9/3 indicating if they are/are not signed up for transportation. They are taking the Red Robot Bus.
More info on the Robotics Bus:
3:45 - EP Clarke Pickup. The bus will park on the opposite side of route buses and will have a red robot on the side of the bus.
4:00 - Brown Pickup. The bus will park behind the route buses and have a red robot on the side of the bus.
4:05-4:10 - Lincoln Pickup. Bus 4 will arrive at Lincoln to pick up.
We ask each family to bring in one snack donation with at least 25 servings. This will be pooled together with the entire program. Each child will receive one snack from the available options during their team practice. This donation only needs to happen once, preferably in the first few weeks.
Please Note: We will also no longer be doing snack at the beginning. This will be managed by coaches during the practice.
All practices are held at the Edward J. Todd Innovation Center. Read here for more info on where it is located.
Fill out St. Joe Robotics' Volunteering form AND St. Joseph Public Schools' Volunteering form if you haven't already.
Family Night - November 17th, 5:30pm to 7:30pm (tentative)
Competition - November 22nd, 7am to 5:30pm (tentative)
We are excited to welcome your child to their team as part of St. Joe Robotics' FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLLE) Program. Their team is meets based on the schedule below, from 4:15-5:30pm:
Team | Coach Name(s) | Meeting Days
Little Joes Red | Guillermo luis Narvaez casas | Tuesday
Little Joes Purple | Ako S | Tuesday
Little Joes Lavender | Ako S | Wednesday
Little Joes Yellow | Katie Kohs | Wednesday
Little Joes Orange | Kaley Schmidt | Wednesday
Little Joes Blue | Jesse Willis | Wednesday
Little Joes Teal | Ezra Erb | Wednesday
Little Joes Green | Amy Karsen | Thursday
Little Joes Navy | Josh G + Aanal Shah | Thursday
Little Joes Peach | James Barnett | Thursday
Does your child need transportation? Check with mbrunsting@sjschools.org if you have signed them up.
Team Meetings will start next week - the week of September 8th on your assigned day(s) listed above!
What's Next To Do?
1. Please bring a healthy snack to share. About ~25 servings minimum, and preferably no nuts. Write your child's full name on the snack so we know who brought it.
(We pool all the snacks together, and let the children pick one from the snacks we put out. Bring the snack donation in the first few weeks of practice.)
2. Mark November 22nd on your calendar. This is the tentative date for Lancer-Bot Mania. The culminating all-morning event for all FLL teams! Everyone should plan to attend.
3. Please pick up your child within 5 minutes of the practice ending.
4. Read the blog posts as they come out. There is important information and signups in them!
Morgan's Hours: If you would like to chat with me in person, I am available until 8:30pm on Tuesdays, and 5:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. To arrange another time, please reach out via email to coordinate. My personal cell is for emergencies only.
Videos to watch to get excited for this new season:
FLL UNEARTHED Season Premiere.
Thanks!
Morgan
Hello!
Welcome to the 2025-2026 season of FIRST LEGO League - FIRST Age at St. Joseph Public Schools! I hope this email finds you well.
If we have not met yet, my name is Morgan Brunsting and I am the Robotics Coordinator for St. Joseph Public Schools.
The following email will contain lots of information regarding the upcoming season for:
FLL Explore | Little Joes | K-3rd Grade.
To make the parent meeting accessible to all, check out the following links. Make sure to watch the videos to have all the information necessary about the program. Links to the slides are also available to help reference information, with the script used in the meeting notes.
Welcome to St. Joe Robotics (Video)
Welcome to St. Joe Robotics (Slides)
About FLL Explore Pt. 1 (Video)
About FLL Explore Pt. 2 (Video)
About FLL Explore (Slides)
Questions?: If you have any questions from the videos, please feel free to do one of the following:
Come to the Innovation Center between 6:30 and 8pm on Tuesdays.
Reply to this email with your question(s).
Send me (Morgan - mbrunsting@sjschools.org) your preferred phone number, and a few times and dates when you would be available for a call (available most times M-F, 9am-3pm)
All communications will be sent via blog updates. These contain:
New information that pertains to the program
Signups
Events/Important information
We will also send abbreviated blog updates, usually once a month.
All information in the email - no links required
Signups only - no extra details
Who: (Strongly encouraged) for anyone who plans or is considering helping out in any way.
What: Virtual meeting for those thinking about Coaching, Co-Coaching, or mentoring to provide basic information about expectations and what it looks like, and answer any questions.
Where: Online - Google Meet
When: August 5th, 6-7pm
Why: To talk about the different support opportunities available to parents and community members, what it entails, and introduce the onboarding resources.
Will have a recording of the meeting available
Hosted by Carrie Brunsting - FLL Explore Director
Plan to commit? Sign up as a volunteer through St. Joe Robotics and fill out the SJPS Background Check
The participation fee is DUE July 31st. Failure to pay will result in your child being removed from the roster.
Families have the opportunity to inform us which days (and possibly times) work best for their family. Team assignments will be published late August.
Teams are determined by coaches available, facility space, and ages.
Families who Coach their child’s team will receive their preferred slot.
After signups close, you will receive an email with:
Instructions for communicating preferred days of the week
Signing up as a Coach/Mentor
Confirming child’s information
All FLL programs will tentatively start the week of September 2nd
Teams will meet on their assigned day (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday)