Spring 2012 New Parent/New Student Meeting Speech & Debate Spring 2012 New Parent/New Student Meeting

Agenda Benefits of the Team Policies & Procedures Travel Clothing Finances

Benefits of the Team Higher ACT/SAT scores More likely to get into top-tier colleges Easier time completing research projects for other classes and in college More confidence when speaking in public Better job interviews & communication skills New “Second Family” at Ruston High More practice becoming an ethical member and asset to an organization

Benefits of the Team Your coaches LOVE being a part of this process, watching you grow from an uncertain speaker into a confident one. Challenging you along the way. That’s why we do this.

With great benefit comes great responsibility.

Policies & Procedures We mailed you a copy of this contract. Please read it – ALL of it.

Policies & Procedures We want you on our squad, but only if you’ll follow our rules.

Policies & Procedures These are WISE and SAFE and NECESSARY ways of operating, so you shouldn’t have a problem with them.

Travel

Travel If we have at least 12 students signed up for a tournament and a bus driver available from the School Board, we’ll take a bus. We’ll need parent drivers if a bus driver is unavailable or too few students are going.

Travel http://www.lhssl.com/Tournaments.htm One other reason a parent might drive is if a student wants to attend a tournament that is not on our Squad Schedule but is on the Louisiana High School Speech League schedule. See this website, which will be updated with the new schedule in August: http://www.lhssl.com/Tournaments.htm If a parent drives a student to one of these extra tournaments, the parent must stick around and judge rounds as required by the tournament.

Friday Students must first attend classes if the team isn’t leaving before 1st period. 9:35 am Boxes & luggage will be loaded in the RHS Boulevard by Mrs. Olsen’s room.   Students need money for meals. Feel free to pack granola bars, fruit, etc. for your student to have healthy snacks during the weekend. (concession stand food = cheese covered fries, iced sugar cookies, etc) When we arrive in Alexandria Friday morning around 11:45, we will have lunch, and then get dressed in the hotel. We’ll leave the hotel by 1:15 pm to head to ASH to be on time for registration. 1:00-3:00 Registration 3:00-3:15 Opening Ceremony 3:15 Extemporaneous Speaking Topic Draw 3:45-4:45 Round I of all Individual Events (I.E.s) 4:45-6:00 Debate Round I, Duet Acting Round I 6:15 Extemp Draw 6:45-7:45 Round II of all I.E.s 7:45-9:15 Debate Round II, Duet Round II Saturday, December 4 Free breakfast at the hotel. Load bus with luggage. Leave at 7:15 am. 8:00-9:30 Debate Round III 9:30-11:00 Debate Round IV 11:00 Extemp Draw 11:30-12:30 Extemp/I.E. Semis(Finals for small events) 12:45-2:15 Debate Quarters, Duet Finals 2:30-4:00 Debate Semis 4:00 Extemp Draw 4:30-5:30 All I.E. Finals 5:30-7:00 Debate Finals 7:00 Awards Ceremony After Awards, we’ll stop at a fast food restaurant for supper, then head home. 10:00–10:30pm Arrive at RHS Boulevard for parent Pick-up. Students should call 1) when we leave Alexandria and 2) when we are in Jonesboro to let parents know when to pick up. Parents should be waiting in the Boulevard when the bus arrives.

Clothing Professional (lawyer or businessperson) Men – button-down, ties, belt, dress shoes & jacket if you have one Women – jacket and skirt/suit pants or modest dress NO Tennis shoes, hole-y pants NO hats, rubber bracelets NO rolling up sleeves Get hair out of eyes…. You get the picture PROFESSIONAL!!!

What our Squad picture should look like:

not appropriate – too flirty, not modest, not professional

too casual

just right

Last note about Clothing You don’t have to buy a $500 suit. Goodwill has nice dress clothes and so does Wal-mart. If you’re worried, ask the coach to hook you up with an older squad member to take you shopping. We WILL be judged by our appearance.

Finances A typical tournament costs $70 per student for registration, transportation, hotel, etc... (this does NOT include food money) $35 deposit must be paid the Wednesday before each tournament in order to be able to attend. The reason you pay only a $35 deposit is because our fundraisers usually cover the other half of our expenses.

Finances Bottom line: $200 minimum for novice camp $350 for tournaments (Each student is required to compete at at least 5 out-of-town tournaments.)

Finances RHS Lunch Concessions The Speech & Debate Team runs the lunch concessions every day, both lunch shifts. We sell candy, chips, and pizza. Team members work unless you want to opt out and pay full price for tournaments.

Questions? Email Mrs. Olsen at molsen@lincolnschools.org Don’t forget to turn in your signed permission form and sign up for camp by May 18th!

Looking forward to working with you!