WELCOME SW Coaches!  

Our Waukee speech staff and student teams are very excited to host the IHSSA Large Group State Speech Contest this year. This is the fourth time we have hosted this event, and we take great pleasure in welcoming you to our school. Read these important pieces of info thoroughly and often -- then share with others on your team.  Welcome too, those of you do not have entries performing at the state contest. 

STATE CONTEST CHANGE FORM

BEFORE Contest: 

• Become acclimated to the contest environment by using the website. Center information, parking info and more can be found here. Official ballots and program will be printed Thursday night. 

• If you see a mistake or a missed special request, contact me immediately using this form: Issues/Needs Form. Please do not ask for changes unless there was a special request mistake. With the special requests, double-entries, and avoiding judge conflicts of interest, it’s difficult to move things around without disrupting the whole house of cards. Additionally, there is a whole backside of the contest where entries are connected to paperwork. DO LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A CONCERN -- the google form is the best way. 

• IF you have a REGISTRATION change (title, drop event, drop student, substitute) use this form for the IHSSA state office: STATE CONTEST CHANGE FORM

• If you are using risers for RT, or a mat for MIME please let me know ASAP using  ISSUES/ITEMS/NEEDS FORM.

• Copy and bring (3) three comment sheets for each performing group. Copies will be available in the office for $.25 each in an emergency. Bring a self-addressed (heavily) stamped envelope if you intend to leave before your comment sheets are ready to be picked up. 

• If you know of All-State Festival special requests, be ready to write those on a list in the office in the event your group advances to the festival. (We do not know which groups advance until late Monday Feb 6, but the All-State Committee creates the schedule before alerting us to the nominations. It’s good to know in advance what other conflicts your students have on Feb. 18.) 

• Instruct your speech team and all parents/grandparents/neighbors/friends about what to expect in the contest environment. Have them view the video on the IHSSA website: Spectator Information.

• Remind them of the $5 suggested donation at the door. Programs will be not available for sale -- just the download. Remind students and parents to be early to centers and to keep halls quiet.  

• Cell phones are to be turned off in centers. No photos or video without state office approval. 

• Remember your own equipment for playing film, radio, and TV. 

• Sign up for REMIND message in case of weather delay or for contest day coach announcements.  www.remind.com/join/jpleg 

Reminder: all photography and/or video of performances is strictly prohibited.

GETTING HERE: 

Waukee High School is located at 555 SE University Avenue  in Waukee. Unloading will be in the bus lane on the south east side (look for the yellow wall and huge W) coming off of University Avenue. Come in the main activity doors near the Field House. (Use the door just left of Activity entrance for moving in set pieces or if you need a wider door.) At the end of the day, you may load out the gym doors right back out to the loading lane; however, in the morning do not load directly through the gym doors. We do not want wet feet on the gym floor. Instead, enter the building through the activity entrance and move down the hall into the West Gym. The building will be open at 7:00 AM. 

• Buses park on the west side of the school at the stadium. NO buses should park in the lots surrounding WHS or Prairieview. 

• Coffee and breakfast items will be sold in the commons at 7. There will be a coaches & drivers lounge in Room 437 with a newspaper and coffee. 

• Coaches, sign in in the main office when you get here.  Also, be ready to register any substitutions or let us know of any drops in your lineup. IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY SUB, CONTACT STACY AT THE STATE OFFICE ASAP FOR DIRECTIONS. 

Settling in:

The West Gym is the place to store your team’s props, coats, etc. 

• Keep your camp tightly together to make room for all schools. 

• Tell students to not bring sleeping bags or valuables. The gym is to store stuff - but is not a lounge. Students should be out watching performances. 

• Please make sure your group collects all of their belongings at the end of the day.

• Extra amenities:  One Act Play/CR dressing rooms are provided (to share with other groups) in choir hallway. 

• The second floor of the HS building is off limits.

Important Info for ALL:

• Tell everyone on your team your school CODE. You will find your school code (different from district contest) on the schedule when it comes out. If you have trouble finding it, I will help. Put your school code on your team schedules and in every communication out to students and parents this week. 

• Then have students and parents tell other spectators the school CODE. There is always someone who is here to see their student perform “in a play….I think it’s Annie” and then we realize there are three performances of “Annie,” for example.

• No school apparel should be worn to contest. Performers will be disqualified if identifying school apparel is worn. It’s good to have parents and others dress incognito that day as well. 

• There will be a NURSE’s station in the WHS attendance office/Volunteer Headquarters. It will be marked and found near the main office. 

• NO food outside of the cafeteria commons area. Remind your students and parents to eat here.  We have a selection of yummy treats. See food tab a few days before contest. 

• Ratings will be posted during the breaks in the schedule in the hall outside the gym. 

Reminder: all photography and/or video of performances is strictly prohibited.

At the end of the day:

• You may collect your comment sheets in the office after all of your ratings have been posted. (It takes a bit for the contest officials to sort data and organize by school so please be patient.) 

• Make students sure they have coats, water bottles, costumes, etc. upon leaving. 

Thanks so much for all of your hard work prepping your performers & parents for state contest! Understanding how contest works and sharing the info with your team will make things move very smoothly. 

Let me know if you have any questions, and know I’ll get around to answering you as soon as possible. It’s difficult to teach a full schedule, coach my own events, prep for IE’s starting next week, and manage a contest…..but it is so much fun!

See you soon! 

Jacki Pleggenkuhle, Contest Manager

jpleggenkuhle@waukeeschools.org

And Waukee Speech Team & Coaching Staff