Meridian High School
SPEECH & DEBATE
2016-17
Parent-Student Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
10
GOALS OF COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE 2
tournament information...... 3
DROP FEES...... 4
FUNDRAISING...... 4
NSDA AND LETTERING …………………….4
Schedule……………………………………………………...5
CODE OF CONDUCT…………………………………………………...... 7
DRESS CODE…………………………………………………………...... 8
The roles of Team Captains……………………...…………………...... 9
THE TEAM NEEDS YOUR HELP! ………………………………...... …...10
GOALS OF COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE
STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. By acknowledging that there is more than one side to an issue, students will widen their scope of knowledge. They will learn how and where to search for credible information, thus developing skills that will help them sift through numerous sources and develop the best argument that is backed up by evidence, not just their opinion. These skills will help them be better students in AP and con-current credit classes.
STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL LISTENING SKILLS. In the course of acquiring the ability to listen carefully to and process challenging information in a timely manner, students will be able to understand and address another's argument. The ability to take effective notes and remember crucial information proves essential in academic settings, one's profession, and civic matters.
STUDENTS BUILD CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING. Through practice of one's persuasion skills, students become confident of their abilities to defend a position before an audience. While such skills provide confidence in any profession or setting, they prove to be even more of an asset when defending an argument in the face of adversity.
STUDENTS PREPARE TO PARTICIPATE IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. By developing one's research, listening, and speaking skills, an individual will possess the necessary keys to engage in democratic action at any level. Whether at the PTA, city hall, state legislature, or elsewhere, the skills sharpened in competitive speech and debate prove essential to one's ability and desire to create a better society.
STUDENTS ACQUIRE GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP. In a competitive setting, winning and losing become routine to the activity. Students learn that it is part of the nature of competitive events (as in real life). More importantly, although they may not agree with someone else's opinion, they learn to understand why s/he believes the way s/he does.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Competition is a requirement of this class. At a minimum, varsity students must compete at two local invitationals in the Fall semester, and one local invitational in the Spring semester. At a minimum, novice students must compete at one local invitational each semester. Any students may attend any tournament as long as they sign-up, are prepared for it, and are academically eligible. Students must earn the right to compete at district tournaments by working hard throughout the year and be available to attend the state tournament. Students who qualify for state must attend the state tournament. For the national qualifying tournament, students must be a member of the National Speech and Debate Association. Students who qualify for the national tournament are not required to attend it, however it is an honor to qualify for it and an effort will be made to help the students pay for the competition. Mr. Burtosky has the right to deny any student from competing at any tournament due to behavior, grades, or preparation for the competition. Mr. Burtosky makes the final decision on who will be able to compete at district debate, district speech, and the national qualifying tournament.
TOURNAMENT FEES
No fee will be charged to students for the one local invitational that the student attends as their required tournament each semester. Fees for other tournaments vary and students will know the cost of the competition prior to signing up for it. Students must pay the fee prior to the competition. The fees charged pay for tournament entry fees, judges, and travel. Mr. Burtosky does his best to keep the cost down by supplementing fees with the money in our ASB account. The biggest expense is paying for judges. Parents can help keep the cost down by volunteering to judge. If a parent does judge, the student will have competition fees waived and receive a discount on travel costs. Students who do not pay their fees in a timely fashion will be benched.
DROP FEES
A drop fee of $50 (or more if the tournament host charges more) will be assessed for every debate or speech entry which is withdrawn after the final drop date. Students will compete in all preliminary rounds at a tournament and when qualify, will compete in rounds until they are knocked out of the tournament. A $10 fee will be charged for any round a student does not attend at a tournament. In the case of extreme circumstances (i.e., hospitalization, death in the family), the fee may be waived but the student must make every effort to attend a competition they sign up for. Tournament managers charge drop fees because of the extra work and inconvenience a late drop causes for the tournament management and other participating schools. Drop fees apply to EVERY tournament that Meridian High School attends, regardless of the procedures of the hosting tournament.
FUNDRAISING
There may be fundraising opportunities offered throughout the year to help cover the cost of fees and travelling. Students do not have to participate in fundraising. Monies earned will go into the general team fund. Planning a fundraiser is a great way for parents to help out the team.
THE NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION AND LETTERING
Meridian High School participates in a national honor organization called the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA, previously known as the National Forensic League- NFL). As members, students can earn degrees based on their experience. Students acquire points to earn more prestigious degrees for every round in which they compete (whether they win or lose). The benefits to students include: membership in one of the most respected and oldest national honor societies in the nation; they may participate in the qualifier to attend the national tournament; they have the opportunity to become an Academic All-American; if they compete in college, they are automatically part of Pi Kappa Delta; and letter in speech or debate.
In order to join the NSDA, students must earn 25 NSDA points (earned at competitions, speaking engagements, and doing service), and pay the $20 one-time fee.
Using the NSDA point system, students may qualify to receive a letter in debate and/or speech. To do so, a student must earn 250 points of debate and speech combo or 200 speech only points . A few students (Idaho usually has a handful each year) have been able to quadruple letter within their four years of participation on the team. In a student's senior year, they may apply for the Academic All-American Award.
2016-17 Debate and Competitive Speech Schedule
**Subject to change
Date / Tournament / Events /Notes / Tentative cost*10/14-15 / Metro @ Capital / Varsity only, debate only. / $15 per event
*10/21-22 / Patriot Games @ Centennial / Varsity only, debate and speech. / $15 per event
*10/29 / Enter the Lion’s Den @ Borah / Novice only, debate only. / $10 per event.
*11/4-5 / Hunger Games @ Rocky Mountain / Speech and debate. / $15 per event
*11/18-19 / Canyon County Classic @ Nampa / Speech and debate. / $15 per person
12/2-3 / Rim to Rim @ Twin Falls / TBD, travel tournament at student expense. Speech and Debate / $150 per person
*12/9-10 / Holiday Havoc @ Columbia / Speech only. / $15 per event
1/6-7 / Blacksnake in Pocatello / TBD, travel tournament at student expense. Speech and Debate. / $150 per person
*1/20-21 / Mustang Mashup @ Eagle. / Speech and debate. / $15 per event
(cont.)
*1/27-28 / Dream Sideways @ Mountain View / Speech and debate / $15 per event2/3-4 / U Bus to Us @Mountain Home / TBD, travel tournament at student expense. Speech and Debate. / $25 per day
*2/10-11 / Winter Tournament @ Skyview / Speech and debate / $15 per event
2/16-18 / Nat Quals @ Renaissance and Columbia / Participants selected by Mr. Burtosky, only top competitors in each event. Congress @RHS, speech and debate @ CHS. / $15 per event
2/25 / District debate @ Mountain View / Participants selected by Mr. Burtosky, only top competitors in each event. / $10 per student
3/10-11 / State Debate @ TBD / For students who qualified via district debate / TBD cost
3/18 / District speech @ Rocky Mountain / Participants selected by Mr. Burtosky, only top competitors in each event. / $10 per event
4/7-8 / State Speech @ TBD / Must qualify from state speech / TBD cost
**Schedule subject to change
*Qualifies as a curriculum required tournament. Students must attend one per semester, at team’s expense.
Note: Before each tournament, Mr. Burtosky will let parents know the cost, dates, and itinerary via email. Usually he will send out a list of who have signed up to compete a week before the tournament.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Section 1: School and Class Conduct
Ø Students must abide by all rules and regulations specified in the high school student handbook and the school district's Code of Conduct.
Ø Students who engage in behavior that inhibits the learning and progress of others will be turned over to the proper school officials for disciplinary action.
Section 2: Eligibility for Participation
Ø Students may participate in competition only by instructor permission.
Ø Students are required to maintain a 2.0 and a passing grade in all classes to be eligible for competition. Any students with an “F” in any class the Monday before competition or the drop date may not be allowed to compete. We will abide by the MHS "F" policy.
Ø Students must be in attendance in all classes the day of leaving for any competition.
Ø Students must be in good disciplinary and attendance standing with the school administration to be eligible for competition.
Ø A student may be declared ineligible by reason of any of the following:
o Improper or inappropriate conduct and/or attitude
o Excessive absences
o Poor or improper tournament preparation
o Violation of IHSAA rules and procedures or the rules governing individual tournaments.
o Violation of any rule, policy, or regulation of this code, the high school, or the school district.
Section 3: Conduct in Transit
Ø If a tournament starts before 4:00 on a school day: No student shall travel in any private vehicle or mode of transportation of any kind at any time while traveling to or from a school activity, except in the company of parents or legal guardians or with the expressed written consent of parents or guardians (approved by school administration).
Ø Acts occurring in transit that endanger the lives or safety of any person shall result in disciplinary action from the proper school officials and students will be picked up immediately by their parents.
Section 4: Tournament Conduct
Improper conduct at tournaments will be grounds for disciplinary action by the proper school officials. Improper tournament conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
o Any illegal act or act that act which endangers the safety of another person
o Failure to follow the coach's instructions
o Procurement, possession, or use of any alcoholic beverage or use of any drug not prescribed by a physician
o Willful destruction of property, theft, fighting
o Intimate contact with another person
o Profane or obscene language in public
o Any act which violates IHSAA rules or the rules governing any specific tournament
o Leaving a tournament without the coach's permission
o Arguing a Judge's decision with the Judge, another competitor, or tournament personnel
o Heckling, taunting, purposefully distracting or otherwise adversely affecting the performance of a competitor, Judge or tournament personnel
o Fraternization with members of an opposing team to the detriment of any of your team members
In the event a student is caught using alcohol and/or drugs, that student’s parents will be contacted and arrangements will be made to send them home immediately at the parents’ expense.
Section 5: Travel Conduct
Improper travel conduct shall be grounds for disciplinary action by the proper school officials. Improper travel conduct includes, although is not limited to, the following:
o Improper conduct exhibited at the place of lodging
o Failure to appear at team meetings
o Failure to be present for bed checks
o Going out of one's room after curfew
o Undignified, illegal, or immoral conduct at the place of lodging
o Accepting transport in a vehicle with anyone except a parent.
o In the event that such is deemed necessary, the coach may add or alter rules incorporated in this code of conduct.
In the event a student is caught breaking any of the rules of travel, that student’s parents will be contacted and arrangements may be made to send them home immediately at the parents’ expense.
DRESS CODE
Students must meet the requirements of the school dress code at all times. In addition, students must ‘dress down’ for competition. The general expectation of the debate community is that students will wear clothes that would be appropriate in an office setting.
Males are expected to wear:
Ø Collared, buttoned down shirts
Ø A tie
Ø Dress slacks or khakis
Ø Loafers or dress shoes
Females are expected to wear:
Ø A pant suit or
Ø Casual dress or
Ø Skirt and top
Ø Casual dress shoes
Ø If wearing a skirt, females are expected to wear hosiery.
Females should keep in mind that they will be bending over to lift tubs, carrying tubs up and down stairs, and walking outside in adverse weather conditions. They should dress accordingly and wear appropriate shoes.
All students should bring a coat when the weather warrants it.
If a student does not meet these minimum requirements, his/her parent will be called and asked to bring the appropriate clothes or shoes. If no one is able to provide appropriate clothes and/or shoes, the students will not be allowed to participate and will pay the $50 tournament drop fee. If a student or parent is uncertain about what may fit the dress code, please contact the coach.