Administrators and students from Novi Meadows presented the board on Oct. 16 to showcase an upgraded sixth-grade robotics program that uses industrial-grade Universal Robots equipment.

Assistant principal/leader Mr. Berkey introduced four sixth-graders — Joey Katcha, Kenny Van Hooser, Sarah Van Hoosier and Maddie Polceli — who spoke in turn about how robotics develops curiosity, resilience, creative problem solving and collaboration. The students described class tasks such as setting "waypoints" for the robot to move, troubleshooting repeated attempts when a waypoint fails, and designing stacks or nested-object challenges.

Tom Michalski, identified in the presentation as the robotics teacher, and district leaders said the program has moved from basic training robots to the higher-capability Universal Robots platform. Board members and administrators described a short classroom video (not played in full in the meeting record) and noted early projects included a "robot dance party" where students programmed robots to move to music.

District staff said Universal Robot representatives have been responsive to the school’s classroom needs and that the district is exploring continuity from elementary maker spaces through middle school and into high school where students might be able to pursue certifications.

Why it matters: The program introduces middle-school students to applied robotics and design thinking earlier than typical curricula, which district staff said could create pathways to technical coursework and certifications as students progress through the district.

Student examples from the meeting: A sixth-grader described a waypoint as the robot being moved to a position using the teach pendant's "free drive" function and then saving that position so the robot can move between defined points. Another student described repeated attempts and persistence when a waypoint or sequence did not work on the first try.

Board reaction and questions: Board members praised the presentation and asked about program expansion, certification opportunities and whether sixth-graders’ access to the program could be continued or scaled. Administrators said scheduling and shared maker-space time across houses are constraints but emphasized interest in developing a continuum from elementary through high school.

What’s next: Administrators said they will explore coordination with high-school staff to determine certification pathways and continuity, and they will continue to refine scheduling to expand access where feasible.