Team Rules

1. Two unexcused practices will result in a student being dropped from the category. Being more than five minutes late to practice is one tardy; two tardies equal an unexcused absence. If you are ill or have another emergency, please contact Mrs. DeGidio as soon as possible. 

2. For a practice to be excused, a student must let Mrs. DeGidio know of the absence in advance of the absence. If Mrs. DeGidio is not notified in advance of the absence, the practice will probably be considered unexcused. It is up to Mrs. DeGidio to determine whether a reason is excusable.

3. Mrs. DeGidio has the final approval of a script or topic. This must be approved before scheduling practice times.

4. Students who don't perform at contest - either because they dropped after entry fees had been paid or because they were dropped from a category making it impossible for a group to perform - will be expected to reimburse the team for the entry fee. This fee could range from $8 to $35.

5. Academic eligibility policies require Mrs. DeGidio to check the grades of all speech participants periodically. In large group events, in order to be fair to the other members of the group, you may be dropped or moved to a different event prior to the end of a term if you are in danger of failing. Failure to maintain a passing grade at any time will affect the student's position on the speech team. 

6. You will be given a copy of the rules for your category at one of the first practices. It is your responsibility to read them and retain them for contest. 

7. Groups and individuals are responsible for their own equipment being loaded and unloaded for contest. Do not expect Mrs. DeGidio or other team members to do this for you.

8. At contest, all students are expected to attend all performances by Clayton Ridge and some of other schools' performances. Watching others shows support of our team members and can inspire growth for us as individual performers.