Robotics Team Coach

Stratford Preparatory is hiring Robotics Team Coaches for the 2023-2024 School Year!
Who we are: A coeducational private day school serving Grades 6-12, Stratford Preparatory builds on 22 years of creating outstanding educational outcomes for our students in Preschool to Grade 8 by expanding Stratford School’s mission through high school.
Stratford School’s purpose, “Connecting students to their unique futures,” reflects our commitment to show young people how they can successfully and independently develop the knowledge, skills, and depth of character they need to thrive in a transforming world. The school provides a rigorous and engaging college preparatory curriculum that focuses on real-world application of engineering, technology, and leadership skills, while also providing students opportunities to be confident learners, generous in spirit, and eager to follow their passions.
Who we are looking for: Stratford Preparatory is looking for a Robotics Team Coach who is looking for the challenge and flexibility of developing a new award-winning robotics program from the ground up. Stratford students are all high-achieving, motivated, and innovative students looking to grow and make an impact. In our rookie year, we won 2nd place in our League championships. Stratford is looking for a coach who can not only keep up but enhance student passion for robotics, and lead the team through the FIRST Robotic competitions and other events.
By participating in Stratford Robotics, students will have a positive, growth-filled experience where they have the opportunity to mature mentally, emotionally, and socially. Through practice and competition, guided by seasoned coaches, students will build fundamental skills in engineering, design, and programming.
We invite you to visit our website: https://www.stratfordpreparatory.com/

Primary Responsibilities of a Stratford Robotics Coach:The primary responsibilities of the robotics coach include:

• Being committed to the well-being of students.
• Developing the Stratford Robotics program, maintaining quality coaching, and continuing to educate on best practices.
• Scheduling and organization of competitions.
• Training and enforcing the proper storage and safe usage of all equipment.
• Supervising and training students on the design, building, operation, and maintenance of the robot.
• Managing and keeping track of team finances and budgets.
• Developing a sense of responsibility, leadership, and ownership of the robotics program amongst students.
• Creating a cohesive and positive team spirit to support a safe and productive learning environment
• Fostering an innovative problem-solving culture.
• Seeking out mentors and industry experts to support the team.
• Serving as a positive role model for students.

The ideal coaching candidate will have:

• Experience coaching robotics at the high school or college level
• A high school diploma or equivalent (Bachelor's degree encouraged)
• Prior participation, coaching experience, or a combination of the two in robotics
• Strong knowledge of robotics, including but not limited to knowledge of construction, engineering, metal and woodworking, programming, CNC routers, power tools, 3-D printers, laser cutters, computer vision, and electronics preferred.

Skills and Attributes:

• Coach students of different ages and skill levels
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• Access and utilize technology
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with faculty, staff, administrators, students, parents, and community members

The Nitty Gritty:
As a coach of Stratford’s robotics team, you will have the opportunity to build a leading program from the ground up. Ideally, you will have the opportunity to grow with your team and have the authority to hire coaches to replace your position on more junior teams, with support from the school.
Stratford believes in intentional balance. Therefore, we will be working to create a consistent schedule for our students. We expect our coaches to be on-site with openings Mon thru Fri from 4:15 PM - 6:00 PM during the robotics season which starts with the school year and ends depending on the team’s placement that year and qualifications for higher-level events. Additional weekend dates and travel may be required for competitions. You do not need to be available every day.

Students:
Roughly 30% of Stratford students have expressed interest in the robotics program, which will be the largest student club on campus. Student abilities range dramatically from no experience to FLL competition winners. Most students have taken three years of computer science courses and advanced math classes. Currently, we expect just under 30 students on the high school teams and another 30 on the middle school teams. This number is expected to grow over time.
Equipment & Resources
Stratford Preparatory is investing over $30,000 into start-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including professional laser cutters, 3-D printers, and power tools for our Robotics program. It is our intention to eventually launch an FRC team, in the meantime, we will provide FRC-level resources for our FTC teams. The coach will be able to recommend additional equipment needs to the Activities Director for approval.