Ontario Teams in Jeopardy for 2012/2013?

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by 1075guy

Many Ontario Elementary and High schools have been having student walkouts in protest of the teachers taking away their extra-curriculars.

Effective? I'm not sure, but the media are sure having a field day with it all. The teachers and Queen's Park can't stay at odds forever if the students are going to keep walking out.

While ordinarily I'd say students walking out is a bad idea—mainly because it wouldn't ordinarily end well for the students—the recent Quebec student strike has primed the media and the populace with the rather extraordinary concept that students are empowered to take matters into their own hands and be heard loudly.

So I think it will be reasonably effective. Dalton McGuinty saw what happened to Jean Charest and doesn't want to be next.<sup>1

1</sup> McGuinty is the premier of Ontario, leading a minority government; Charest is the former premier of Quebec, who lost his own seat in the legislature, and whose party lost the recent election, in large part as a result of discontent with his handling of the Quebec student strike.

[MARS_James]

My question to Ontario teams: Currently 31 of last years 78 teams in Ontario have registered for a regional (as well as 4 rookies). How did you convince your team contact to register and what are you going to do come payment time?

[akoscielski3]

Article about the Windsor Walk out.

The walk out went pretty well in my opinion. My Chemistry teacher (the class I was in at 10:30 when the walk out started) stopped class of r aminute, opened the door, and said that we could take a 1 minute brake if we wanted. However we were taking down an important note o everyone just stayed till we were done our note. Many people were supportive of the students, the Vice principle and Principle were outside keeping an eye on us, rather than kicking us off the property or sending us to class.

We'll see October 11th if there will be Extra Curricular Activities or not.

[akoscielski3]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

My question to Ontario teams: Currently 31 of last years 78 teams in Ontario have registered for a regional (as well as 4 rookies). How did you convince your team contact to register and what are you going to do come payment time?

The problems have not affected most Catholic schools or Private schools, so teams like 771, an 610, which are private, won't have an issue. The problem ly's in the public school board. Our public board will not let our local FLL teams register until this is all over, and to my knowlegde registration for FLL ended on the 30th, so because of this all our effort to start FLL teams (an we had about 5 schools interested in starting teams) has gine to waste.

For FRC, my teacher mentor contacted Mark beadner (sorry if miss-spelled), canadas regional director, and he told us to register now as if nothing is wrong, if something does happen then they will help take care of it.

Now since FLL isnt starting in our area, im hoping that the 4 new rookie FRC Teams that weare starting won't be affected by all of this.

[Jimmy Nichols]

Originally Posted by Duncan Macdonald

What have other teams done in seasons with labour disputes/ years with unknown level of teacher involvement?

We have not had a problem with labor disputes or unknown level of teacher involvement. We were asked to remove our materials and equipment so that the space could be re-purposed and was left homeless in spring of 2011.

Originally Posted by Duncan Macdonald

What were the operational issues you came across in trying to run a team separate from a school? (ignoring fundraising)

Since spring 2011 we now work in a former retail store inside a local mall. In running the program outside of the school we have had to carry our own liability insurance and have had to add workshops to train the students on emergency situations that could occur outside of the school as well as how to be safe when arriving and leaving the work sessions. We still remain connected to our school system by having a teacher and being a club with a student activties account.

[Bochek]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

My question to Ontario teams: Currently 31 of last years 78 teams in Ontario have registered for a regional (as well as 4 rookies). How did you convince your team contact to register and what are you going to do come payment time?

We have been proceeding as normal, we will deal with problems when (and if) they happen.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

Currently 31 of last years 78 teams in Ontario have registered for a regional (as well as 4 rookies).

I think that number speaks for itself.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

My question to Ontario teams: Currently 31 of last years 78 teams in Ontario have registered for a regional

Originally Posted by Gregor

I think that number speaks for itself.

Don't be so sure. I'm not Mark McLeod, but consider these registration numbers.

As of October 5th of the specific year, number of teams registered for:
GTR East 2011 - 3
GTR East 2012 - 4
GTR East 2013 - 9

GTR West 2011 - 3
GTR West 2012 - 13
GTR West 2013 - 4

Waterloo 2011 - 8
Waterloo 2012 - 7
Waterloo 2013 - 20+ (Event is full, an unknown number of teams are on the waitlist)

Total Ontario Events 2011 - 14
Total Ontario Events 2012 - 24
Total Ontario Events 2013 - 33+

Now there are other factors to consider, such as Ontario teams competing outside Ontario, and non-Ontario teams competing in Ontario, that being said, registration in Ontario is basically on the same pace or a slightly better pace than in past years. Typically, Ontario teams have been slow to register compared to their American peers. Having only 37 of 78 (up since the original post) Ontario teams registered at this point is not actually that alarming.

The numbers seen in other robotics programs are similar. FLL in Ontario actually has more teams than they did last year, while VRC in Ontario is up from 82 to 116 teams from October 5, 2011 to October 5, 2012.

Now, these numbers could tumble dramatically as the season progresses, depending on how this labour situation plays out. But for right now, there's no reason to panic. Things are progressing relatively normally in Ontario.

[dtengineering]

Originally Posted by Karthik

... while VRC in Ontario is up from 82 to 116 teams from October 5, 2011 to October 5, 2012.

Now, these numbers could tumble dramatically as the season progresses, depending on how this labour situation plays out. But for right now, there's no reason to panic. Things are progressing relatively normally in Ontario.

And here I was getting excited because we were pushing 80+ VRC teams in BC this year. We'll have to kick it up a notch!

More to the point of this thread, however, is that we've been through a number of labour disruptions here in BC over the decade or so that I've been involved in competitive robotics. Our procedure has always been to carry on and hope for the best. So far, fortunately, things have worked out. In the long run (and hopefully the short run) things will work out okay in Ontario, too. If anything, this reinforces the benefits of having a strong school-community bond and an adult leadership that revolves around both teachers and volunteers. It's tough to build, but crucial for overcoming hurdles such as this.

Jason

[akoscielski3]

Am I the only one that didn't know BC has FRC teams?

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by akoscielski3

Am I the only one that didn't know BC has FRC teams?

They don't (anymore).

[MARS_James]

Originally Posted by Gregor

They don't (anymore).

Search British Columbia get this : Rookie From British Columbia

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

Search British Columbia get this : Rookie From British Columbia

Well would you look at that! A rookie team in BC and Saskatchewan.

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

Here's a headcount:

Total teams / Rookies / Missing / Place
1 ---- 1 --- ---- Canada-SK
1 ---- 1 --- ---- Canada-BC

[dtengineering]

Wow! That is very cool. I'll have to get in touch with them.

That makes them the fourth FRC team from B.C., and the only one currently in action. At our peak we had three FRC teams.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that 2013/2014 brings at least one more rookie team from BC.

Jason

[akoscielski3]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

Wow! That is very cool. I'll have to get in touch with them.

That makes them the fourth FRC team from B.C., and the only one currently in action. At our peak we had three FRC teams.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that 2013/2014 brings at least one more rookie team from BC.

Jason

What was the reason your team folded in BC?

Is there anyway we could help to start more teams out West??
PM me if you'd like a bit of help starting teams