Coach, Happy (almost) Fall!
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Have you had your first team meeting yet? Maybe you've already attended a tournament or two! May autumn bring you plenty of volunteer judges, abundant administrative support, and scores of students who are excited for the speech and debate season!
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Practical Professional Development
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The District Leader Toolkit web page has been streamlined and updated! Whether you are a new or returning leader, this should be your page for all things NSDA and districts. You’ll find each month’s District Leader Checklist, reminders about upcoming deadlines, and an ever-growing collection of forms, resources, and guides specifically for district leadership.
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Do you ever feel like the coaches in your district aren’t getting all of your emails? Or that you find yourself searching through your email archives to find that one detail you can’t remember? Follow the West Kansas District’s lead and try creating a Google Doc or other shared document where all of the information your district leaders and coaches need can live! This strategy has a variety of benefits. First, it is easy to share! Have a new coach join later in the season? Share the doc with them so they can get caught up! Second, it's searchable! You as leaders get so many emails and are responsible for so many details—having all district-level communications in one place makes it easy to find what you need. Third, it's a great way for the national office to know about both the successes and the needs of your district.
Do you have a strategy or process for communication that works well for your district? Now is the time to brag! Share your ideas with Lauren McCool by emailing her at lauren.mccool@speechandebate.org.
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Read the Board Meeting Agenda
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The NSDA Board of Directors will meet September 29-30 for their fall meeting. We invite you to read the full agenda and share any feedback with the Board by emailing board@speechanddebate.org. We particularly appreciate your insight and suggestions as leaders as the Board considers a variety of agenda items including a proposal for restructuring the composition of the Board, updating the Code of Honor/Conduct, and the process by which the Hall of Fame is chosen.
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Meet the Team: Q&A with Matt Bopes, Membership and Resources Coordinator
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Please introduce yourself!
I came to the NSDA completely new to the speech and debate world with a background in customer service. I live in Ankeny, Iowa, and work in our West Des Moines office most days. When I'm off the clock, I like to spend time with my wife and two children (son Prescott and daughter Teagan), watch sports, and read.
What does being the Membership and Resources Coordinator include?
I am responsible for answering members’ and non-members' questions when they call or email our office about anything related to the NSDA or speech and debate in general. Along with customer service, I work with the folks who create NSDA resources such as the LD/PF topic analyses, monthly Congress docket, and advanced guides.
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As someone who wasn’t involved in speech and debate before working at the NSDA, what is something you like about the activity? hat are you excited about for your first year on staff?
I enjoy seeing how students use their creativity to put together their performances and all of the hard work they do to research and prepare themselves for each competition.
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Each summer at the District Leadership Luncheon, selected leaders are awarded the District Leader Commendation. Congratulations to the 2023 recipients: Victoria Beard (Space City, Texas), Megan Butt (Carolina West, North Carolina), Stacy Goddard (Three Trails, Kansas), Chasity Hance (Ozark, Missouri), Matt Leland (Maine), Jonathan Robertson (Tall Cotton, Texas), and Yatesh Singh (Central Minnesota). Recipients are nominated annually by their peers for going above and beyond in the areas of leadership and service, which may include excellence in district communications or publicity, developing district programs and resources, and/or district membership and engagement support. The form for nominations will open in late winter, so start thinking now about who should be recognized in your district!
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