2017-2018 Chapel Hill High School Academic Team Handbook
Student Conduct
Students will adhere to the High School Student Code of Conduct while representing Chapel Hill High School. Students who do not follow the rules will be corrected and disciplined. Excessive problems may result in the student being dismissed from participation and not allowed to travel, either temporarily or permanently, at the discretion of the academic coordinator.
Dress and Grooming
While representing Chapel Hill Academic Team at an official event, such as an invitational meet, students will adhere to CHHS dress and grooming requirements. This includes skirts/shorts that meet dress code for length andno holes in jeans.
Students with speaking events (debate, extemporaneous, interpretive) – dress for these events is business professional. Males should wear a button down shirt and slacks, with an optional blazer and tie. Females should wear dress pants or skirt with a dress shirt or blouse and optional blazer. If any student has difficulty affording business professional attire, please see the debate coach or the academic coordinator.
Students who do not have speaking events – students will wear either jeans, khakis, or a similarly colored skirt with their official CHHS Academic Team black polos. Students will check out a black polo at the beginning of the competition season. If returned at the end of the year, there is no cost to the student. However, if the student either chooses to keep the polo or the shirt is lost or damaged, the student will pay $15 to the academic coordinator.
Students in One-Act Play
When not in costume, students will simply adhere to the standard CHHS dress and grooming requirements.
Travel
Day Trips – All students will ride with the school to and from an official UIL event, unless prior permission has been granted from the academic coordinator. In order to leave an event early, a guardian must sign the student out with a coach. The guardian must be visible to the coach before the student leaves. At no time will a student drive themselves to/from a UIL event.
Meals – Chapel Hill ISD has a meal stipend rate as follows: $5 for lunch and $10 for dinners away from the school. It is recommended that students have a little extra cash in case they would like a snack or drink at the event, but the amount is at the discretion of the student/guardian.
Most meets have a concession stand available. However, if needed, we may occasionally stop at a fast food restaurant. Every effort will be made to offer choices to the students, but students must remain under the supervision of CHISD staff at all times. Therefore, if there are multiple fast food restaurants in one area (such as a strip center), coaches are encouraged to split up and monitor all possible eating locations. Students will not be allowed to choose a location without a coach present. Students are not allowed to leave the restaurant and return to the busses without staff accompaniment.
Overnight Travel – Regional and state meets often require us to stay overnight, due to distance and the time required to be at the event. There will be up to 4 students of the same gender in each room, and students are never allowed in the room of the opposite gender. Students who would like to meet together will use the hotel common area. Coaches will not stay in student rooms. It is highly advised that two adults be present in the hotel any time overnight stay is required.
Return to School – Students are encouraged to keep their guardians informed of estimated return time throughout the day. Preferably, two adults should stay at the school to supervise until all students are picked up. Guardians must have updated emergency contact information on file with the school, and should make every effort to pick up their student in a timely fashion. Coaches are not to drive students home without making prior arrangements and receiving consent from the guardian.
Communication
Important information will be shared through our Google Classroom, the UIL Academic Team website, through our Remind texting service, via our Instagram account, and linked on our Facebook page. We will occasionally send written notice, an automated call, or email. Students have plenty of methods for staying informed, and should use them. Information for how to subscribe to these services can be found on pg4.
Social Media – Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. are wonderful avenues for communicating information. However, coaches and students should not have private conversations through social media outlets not monitored by the school. Doing so is dangerous for both parties. The Chapel Hill Academic Team highly recommends using the Remind service, which has both a broadcast function and a “chat” function for communication that doesn’t have to be broadcast to everyone. The CHHS Academic team has a general “class,” whose subscription information is found on page 4. Coaches may also create a list for their teams. As Remind is accessible by other school personnel, it is encouraged that everyone have the Remind app and use that in place of texting, Facebook Messenger, etc. Coaches/sponsors are encouraged to converse with their entire team at once, instead of one-on-one, or include the parent in their conversation.Parents are welcome to subscribe to the Remind service as well, to keep up with their student’s activities.
School employees and students have school email addresses, which are encouraged in place of using personal email addresses.
Sponsors should remain transparent and ethical in dealings with students. Sponsors are NEVER to delete a conversation with a student. Any and allcorrespondence could be monitored by school officials.
Media Opt Out – We love sharing the successes of our students, but realize some guardians do not want their students’ names, photos, or honors/awards to appear on websites or Facebook postings. There is a space to communicate preferences on the Handbook Acknowledgement form in this packet. Guardians may also notify the academic coordinator at any time if they wish for the student tobe omitted from media postings.
Eligibility
UIL Academics follows the same eligibility rules as other UIL events. For a comprehensive guide, see the yearly edition of the Constitution and Contest Rules. A copy can be obtained from the Academic Coordinator or viewed online at Highlights:
- Students lose eligibility to compete if they have a failing grade (below 70%) on a 6-weeks report card.
- Students may regain eligibility if they are passing ALL classes at the following 3-week progress report, otherwise they wait until the end of the six weeks and then must be passing ALL classes.
- If the failing grade is in a weighted class (AP, dual credit), eligibility is based on the weighted grade. For example, a student in a class that receives 10 additional GPA points can make a 60 or above and still be considered eligible (60+10 weighted points = 70.)
Meets and Workshops
Practice meets and workshops are great ways to learn more about an event and how to succeed. CHISD considers these experiences to be important, so we encourage participation, pay for student meals that day, and pay entry fees.
We realize unfortunately things come up that prevent us from attending an event where we were previously committed. However, in the past, we have had to forfeit too much money due to students not showing up. To combat this, the following procedure is in place:
- Students will make sure the coach or academic advisor knows they will attend the event (or not) by the “drop date” that is communicated (usually about a week from the event).
- If after the “drop date” the student has to back out, the student is placed on “probation” the first time.
- After the second time a student backs out post “drop date,” the student will not be entered in any more invitationals that year unless they pay the entry fee themselves.
- Having two of these instances may also cause the student to be left off of the district competition team or reserved as an alternate. (Particulars will be left to the discretion of the event coach.)
- If the student feels they have a just cause for missing and should not be placed on probation, they may appeal to the academic coordinator and their coach.
Student Activity Fund
The CHHS Academic Team has a student activity account that will be overseen by the elected officers each year.
The Academic Team is allowed two fund raisers each school year to supplement this activity fund.
CHHS Academic Team Officers
As a student organization, the academic team will elect officers each May for the following school year. These officers will include a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. Students must have competed in the district competition prior to the elected year.
Letter Jackets
Students may Letter in UIL Academics under the following conditions. Either:
- The student has competed at the district level over twoschool years (including debate and OAP)
- The student has competed at the state level of UIL Academics
- For CX debate, the team must have made it to day two of competition.
- For Congressional debate, the student must have made it to finals.
- For Film, the student must have participated in the Austin Filmmaker Festival.
- For the essay contest, the student must have placed and been recognized at the May state meet.
According to UIL Rules, students may only receive one award not to exceed $70 in value during their high school enrollment. Therefore, a student that already has a letter jacket from band, athletics, etc. cannot also receive one for Academic UIL. They may include any UIL award patches on their other jacket if they wish.
TILF Scholarship
Any student who competes at the UIL Academic State Meet is eligible to apply for a scholarship from the Texas Interscholastic League Foundation. For specific rules and guidelines, visit
Non-UIL Academic Competitions
Academic competitions that are not regulated by the UIL (Academic Rodeo, Academic Decathlon) are encouraged and supported by the CHHS Academic Team. They will follow our local policies outlined in this handbook (dress and grooming, travel, etc.) but are not qualified for a letter jacket or TILF scholarship without also being active in UIL sanctioned events.
UIL Academic Communication
School Website:
Under “Schools” select “High School”
Under the “Academics” tab select “UIL”
Find us on Facebook!
Search “Chapel Hill Academic Team”
Instagram Us: @chapelhilluil
Google Classroom Code: b3m17mr
To subscribe to our UIL Remind service, send the message “@chhsuil” to 81010
(Individual coaches/teams may also have their own Remindaccount – contact your coach for information.)
Important Dates
Invitationals,updates, practices, and special eventswill be posted online, through Remind, and on school announcements.
September 9 – Student Conference at TJC
Late Oct – ET State Fair Writing Contest
Nov 1 – ETSF Academic Challenge Quiz Prelims
Nov 10 – ETSF Mindset Breaking Experience
Early November – UIL Congressional Debate
January 10 – Deadline to submit UIL film entries
January 22 – ETSF Engineering Challenge
January 25 – ETSF Pentathlon
February 1 – ETSF Computer Science and Science Fairs
February 8 – UIL CX Debate (CH hosting)
March 9/10 – District UIL OAP at Bullard
March 21 – District UIL Meet at Spring Hill
April 12-14 – Area UIL at TAMU Commerce
April 26-28 – State UIL Academics Meet
Important People
Mrs. Adair – Academic Coordinator, Accounting, poetry/prose
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Mrs. Avery – Ready Writing, Spelling
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Mr. Bice – Social Studies, Literary Criticism, Current Issues/Events
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Mrs. Butler – Science
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Mrs. Dahlgren – Essay Contests
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Mr. Healey – One-Act Play, Film
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Mr. Kennedy – Computer Applications, Computer Science
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Mrs. Krishnan – ETSF Academic Rodeo
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Mrs. Otte – Journalism Events
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Mr. Walsh – Mathematics, Calculator Applications, Number Sense
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Mr. Whitworth – Debate/Extemp Speaking
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Student Leadership
President – Payton Wages, junior
VicePresident – Tyler Autin, senior
Secretary – Karyme Renteria, senior
Treasurer – Jonathan Luna, senior
8/16/2017
2017-2018 Chapel Hill High School Academic Team Handbook
Receipt of Handbook and Contract of Participation
Please sign below and return to the academic coordinator at the beginning of the season.
I acknowledge that I have read the Chapel Hill High School Academic Team Handbook and plan to adhere to the policies contained. I understand that not following the guidelines may prevent me from travelling with and participating in academic competitions, at the discretion of the academic coordinator.
I will do my best to stay informed on practices, meets, and special events, and participate as much as I am able.
I promise I will represent my family, community, and Chapel Hill ISD in a positive way.
______
(Signature of Student)(Date)
______
(Please print name legibly)
I acknowledge that I have read the Chapel Hill High School Academic Team Handbook and plan to support my student in adherence to the policies contained. I understand that if my student does not follow the guidelines, they may be dismissed from participation at the discretion of the academic coordinator.
I will do my best to stay informed of practices, meets, and special events, and help my student participate as much as they are able.
I promise to encourage my student as they embark on this endeavor to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities, and represent Chapel Hill ISD in a way that would make me and the entire community proud.
□ I approve my student’s name, accomplishments and photo appearing on the school website, announcements, and Facebook page
□ I would rather their ______not appear on the ______
(name/photo/awards)(website/page/announcements)
□ I am not okay with my student’s name, information or image appearing anywhere for public viewing
______
(Signature of Guardian)(Date)
______
(Please print name legibly)
8/16/2017