January 2016 |A monthly publication of the National Speech & Debate Association
Dear District Leader,
Welcome to 2016! We hope your new year is off to a great start. Check out these tips, resources, and reminders to help you prepare for the busy tournament season ahead!
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Revised District Forms and The Joy of Tournaments » The largest request we hear from district leadership is to streamline the paperwork for you and the coaches in your district. We heard you! From fewer signature requirements to shortened forms, the paperwork has been revamped. For districts using The Joy of Tournaments (JOT), most of the forms will print directly from JOT. For districts not currently using JOT, there has never been a better time to transition and reduce your reporting workload! Districts ready to register or tab with JOT are encouraged to contact amy.seidelman@speechanddebate.org for extra assistance in transitioning.
Election Year for Board of Directors » Any member coach with five years of NSDA coaching experience or any current or past district chair may become a candidate for the national Board of Directors by so advising the Executive Director in writing before January 20 by certified mail. Not all seats are up for election. For complete guidelines, see the Fall issue of Rostrum.
Summer Leadership Conference » The 2016 Summer Leadership Conference will be held August 7-11 at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. A working group of leaders is underway designing an exceptional conference experience! Watch for registration information in February.
REMINDERS
District Awards » Some districts order awards for more than their national qualifiers (such as finalists or honor society plaques). Visitwww.speechanddebate.org/tournamentservicesto see how you can enhance recognition at your event at an affordable rate! We can custom design the awards to match your district name, in addition to any other number of specifications you desire.
Middle School Nationals » Policy Debate case limits will be released on January 15 for the Middle School National Tournament. The limits will be made available on the Middle School Nationals site.
ACCESS YOUR RESOURCES
Free Extemp Questions » If your district did not sign up for free Extemp questions when registering your tournament dates, but would like to be added to the list, please email steve.schappaugh@speechanddebate.org. (Note: If you already requested Extemp questions, you should receive your set of questions the Thursday before your tournament begins.)
High School Manual »We have created a new unified manual for coaches and district leaders. Click hereto access the comprehensive document, which includes the High School Chapter Manual, Event Rules Manual, District Tournament Operations Manual, and National Tournament Operations Manual in one handy guide. District leaders should pay careful attention to the audit procedures outlined on page 74. All districts are required to use these procedures set forth by the Board of Directors.
WEBINAR SPOTLIGHT
District Leader Webinar Series: Tournament Operating Essentials » We had a blast during last month's district leadership webinar featuring JOT expert Trish Zenczak! We covered the new manual, setup of The Joy of Tournaments registration and tabulation, and the audit process. If you missed the live webinar, check out the recording here.
