Policies

Coach & Adult Support Policy:

• Each team is required to be accompanied by at least one coach for the entire event. The head coach must be an adult (over age 18) and be endorsed by the affiliated school.

• Schools are also required to maintain a ratio of one (1) adult coach or chaperone for every eight (8) students in attendance.

• Family and friends are welcome to attend the event to cheer on their students! However, to maintain the spirit of the competition, spectators will only be allowed at certain open events and the awards ceremony. Parents, chaperones and coaches may escorted students to and from event rooms but must be respectful of limitations on events were spectators are not allowed.

• Coaches, chaperones, and parents should uphold and role model good sportsmanship at all times. Any affiliate acting against the spirit of the competition (i.e. arguing with tournament volunteers, negatively impacting teams from competing, cheatings, etc.) may be asked to leave and/or result in penalties of disqualifications against their home team. 

Participant Safety Policy:

• Student participants must follow all competition rules and regulations and uphold the spirit of the event. Any students exhibiting unsafe behavior and/or poor sportsmanship may be asked to leave and/or receive penalties or disqualification from the competition at any time.

• Students are required to follow all safety precautions at all times, particularly when competing in lab and build events. Students are expected to wear required PPE and uphold all safety procedures when in the JHU lab spaces to prevent injuries to themselves or other competitors.

• All volunteers will complete a required background screening and child safety training per JHU Safety of Children in University Programs Policy. All volunteers will also uphold the Science Olympiad "Never Alone" policy and prevent situations in which they will be alone with a student at any time.

• All participants - coaches, students, and volunteers - must complete required waivers to participate in the event. At a minimum, all participants will be required to submit a Risk & Liability waiver and optional media release. Coaches are required to submit the forms at least 72 hours before the event for processing and all minors in attedance must have the form signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy:

The deadline to withdraw from the tournament is Monday, January 26, 2025. 

• If you are confirmed to receive transportation assistance from JHU and withdraw after this date, your school will be responsible for any non-refundable and/or cancellation costs incurred for your school.

No Food in Team Homerooms:

Food is not permitted in general pool classrooms on JHU campus which includes assigned team homerooms. We are charged a fee for any food or trash left behind in the classrooms we have reserved for the event so please help us keep all homerooms clean and tidy. Teams will be provided with a location on campus to enjoy lunch and several buildings around campus have open lobbies with tables available for lounging and enjoying snacks.

COVID-19 Policy:

Campus guests older than 5 years old who will be inside campus-operated buildings for this event are highly encouraged to comply with university COVID-19 vaccination requirements already in place for our affiliates. This requirement includes an initial COVID-19 vaccination and an mRNA booster. More information is available online at https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/. Masking is currently optional inside campus-operated buildings.

We highly encourage all participants to continue to follow CDC guidelines if exposed to or recovering from Covid-19 prior to the event and/or refrain from attending the event if they have Covid-19 symptoms. We will have free masks available should anyone want or need one. During the event, we encourage good hygiene etiquette and will do our best to maintain a clean environment for all attendees to compete safely.