October 2016 |A monthly publication of the National Speech & Debate Association
Dear District Leader,
Take a look at important updates from the fall Board of Directors meeting and how you can be a resource for new coaches!
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Fall Board Meeting »The Board of Directors held their fall meeting September 22-25 in West Des Moines, Iowa. Here are a few noteworthy event updates from the meeting:
Main Speech Events » The Board made the decision to include Program Oral Interpretation and Informative Speaking as main events beginning at the 2017 National Tournament. Thank you to all the leaders who provided feedback at the Leadership Conference and throughout the year! We can’t wait to see these events grow in Birmingham!
Auto-Qualification » Any student who competed in Program Oral Interpretation or Informative Speaking at the 2016 National Tournament, placed in the top 14, has not completed more than six semesters of high school, and is still enrolled in high school (as a student in good standing) may enter the 2017 National Tournament in the same event as an auto-qualifier.
U.S. World Schools Debate Invitational Update »The U.S. World Schools Debate Invitational was established as a main event at the National Tournament. Additionally, the Board decided to allow each district to field two World Schools teams at the tournament. Keep this in mind and start thinking about how you will determine the selection of your district's teams!
District in Detail »Check out the profile on the New England District in the latest issue of Rostrum! Meet the district committee, read how they support new programs, and dive deeper into how they create a network and celebrate success. Click here to get started.
GET INVOLVED
Membership Appreciation Month »During the month of October, we are celebrating our membership by giving away a prize every Wednesday! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and be on the lookout for how to enter to win!
Seeking Mentors »We are looking for leaders to serve as mentors to novice coaches. Mentorship is crucial to new coach retention! Thank you to all the leaders who have volunteered to serve as a resource. If you haven't already, please sign up to be a mentor today!
REMINDER
Register District Tournament Dates » Don't forget, district chairs should register all district tournament dates by November 1. Are yours already set? Log in to the Points Application, then click "Tournament Dates" on the left and complete the form. Be sure to update any dates that may have changed! Contact Lisa Vossekuil at info@speechanddebate.org or call (920) 748-6206 with any questions.
