NorCal FLL uses the following communication channels:
- norcalfll-announce googlegroup
- Primary – MANDATORY: It is expected that every FLL team in Northern California have at least 1 person that joins this list and receives email (and pays attention to the content). This is an open list and any one can join. Below is the RSS feed for this group. Important: Check your settings to confirm that you are set to receive email.
- NorCal FLL Facebook page
- Optional: We use facebook to promote NorCal FIRST activities, post pictures, links to streamed FLL events elsewhere in the world, and similar general interest topics about FLL.
- NorCal FLL Twitter (@norcalfll)
- Optional: Used lightly (we are looking into how to engage better using twitter) to promote interesting FLL topics as well as promote local activities.
NorCal FLL uses the following websites for information:
- www.norcalfll.org
- Most Important: Used for Northern California information such as tournament registration, local team status and publishing events like upcoming coach trainings, local grants, etc
- social.norcalfll.org
- Very useful: We have created a dedicated social site just for NorCal FLL that has options for you to create local community events (like scrimmages, practice tournaments, project presentation reviews, outreach opportunities, etc) as well as join a local area group email list to more easily communicate among the teams in a smaller geographical area than all of “NorCal”. You can read most of the items without logging in but you will need to create an account (that has to be approved) before posting anything.
- championship.norcalfll.org
- Important: Used to communicate specific information related to the Northern California District Championship Tournaments. This includes information such as locations/dates, and registration status.
- firstlegoleague.org
- Important: Used for overall FIRST LEGO League information such as the annual Challenge details, how judging works, and the evaluation rubrics.
- firstinspires.org
- Important: Used for US-specific FIRST LEGO League items such as national team registration, official event listings, volunteer signups as well as information about FIRST other programs
- playingatlearning.org and theplayspace.org
- Used very infrequently for FLL specific items. Currently we are hosting the PG&E Team Grant application on playingatlearning.org and team members can sign up for FLL-based summer camps on theplayspace.org site.
In addition, FIRST sends out regular FLL team blasts, has a general FIRST Inspire Blog, e-newsletter and also maintains FIRST and FLL facebook pages and FIRST and FLL twitter accounts (and probably other social media as well).
Most useful for learning from other coaches is the FLL forum (aka bulletin board) for the entire FLL community to use. The FIRST forum is most useful to ask general coaching questions as you will be able to get alot of inputs/suggestions. However, it is not very useful or recommended to ask Northern California tournament / program or challenge specific questions – if you have NorCal event or game/project questions, you should send email to fll@playingatlearning.org. Playing At Learning doesn’t monitor or respond to questions on the FLL forum pages.