2018-2019 Speech/Debate/Drama Team Policy
I.
What is Speech/Debate/Drama?
Highly individualized competition, but definitely a team sport.
Uses creative, expressive, critical thinking and organizational skills: all valuable tools for life,
FUN and FRIENDS.
II.
Goals
To teach good speaking and critical thinking skills.
To provide a positive experience that team members will carry with them long after high
school is over.
To build a strong competitive Speech/Debate/Drama team by making coaching decisions
that are based on what is best for the team as well as the individual.
To develop strong speaking and performance skills to help students qualify for post high
school educational opportunities and scholarships.
To emphasize responsibility and self worth.
To represent Hamilton High School and the community in a positive manner.
III.
Practices
A. Medical Information, Sports Release and Policy agreement forms, proof of Pay-to-Play
payment and insurance must be turned into the coaching staff in room 101 (Study Hall) before
Monday, October 1nd.
B. There will be a mandatory team meeting every Tuesday at 3:30p.m. in room 101 starting
Oct. 2nd. If you cannot make this meeting, please make arrangements to meet with a coach
prior to the meeting to get all needed information.
(1) To participate in the Skills/Drills & Thrills session
(2) To confirm meet participation.
(3) To confirm practice times.
(4) To receive travel information
C. Team members are required to attend a minimum of 2 practice sessions each week. It is the
responsibility of the participant to sign in when he or she attends practice times. A series of
missed practices could result in suspension from competition.
D. To receive credit for practicing with a coach, you must sign in on the practice log.
E. Videos: recording performances for review is an excellent learning tool & is strongly
recommended once a week.
F. Practices will be held in Hamilton High School classrooms & team members must check in
room 101. Other rooms will be used as needed & must have a staff person present with
students.
G. All team members are expected to work independently to be ready for competitions.
H. Debaters will focus on research, organization of evidence, development of cases, cross
examination & clashing skills, as well as active rounds debating against teammates. A great
I.
deal of prep will happen on your own time. Debaters are expected to be prepared with cases
prior to each competition.
Extempers will focus on current event research and electronic organization of information,
learning how to use electronic retrieval systems in competition.
IV.
Meets
A. Attendance at meets is required unless prior written notice is given to the coaching staff;
however, team members are expected to compete at all meets. As stated before,
Speech/Debate/Drama is a competitive sport. Therefore, each team member must dedicate time
to compete for the good of the team and for the improvement of individual skills. Without team
member dedication, there is no team. If there is an unexcused absence from a meet, the
coaching staff reserves the right to remove that member from the team. Please inform the
coaching staff, in writing, at least 2 weeks before the meet to be excused. Please work to
schedule ACT & SAT testing for spring week-ends so that you do not miss a meet.
B. If a team member is registered to compete at a meet and does not compete, he/she will pay
the registration fee. If the team member drops after the drop deadline (Wednesday of the
week of meet) that team member must also pay the drop fee of $10.00 prior to competing
in the next meet. Our team is assessed a drop fee. This will be passed on to the team
member who drops at the last minute! Note: the fee is double for duos, so don’t leave a
partner in the lurch.
C. Team members will maintain good sportsmanship at all times. Verbally “bashing”, intimidating
or disrespecting other teams, judges, coaches and team mates will not be tolerated. All
victories, defeats and coaching decisions will be responded to in a respectful manner. Failure to
follow this policy will result in suspension and/or forfeit lettering from the team for a period of
time to be determined by the head coach.
D. Professional behavior and attire is required at all times. No pajamas will be permitted. This
includes stops at restaurants or other places of business as well as the schools where
competitions are held. We represent Hamilton High School and your behavior & attire is a
reflection on our school. Professional behavior is expected in all public places and at meets.
Since we are guests of other schools, all materials and equipment must be left alone. It is
important to be respectful of the judges at all times. They are volunteering their time.
E. Tournament Awards: All competitors will remain in competitive attire until after awards
presentation. NO PAJAMAS OR SLOPPY CASUAL CLOTHES ALLOWED!!!! It is very
important that we respect to those who have been successful and to the organizers of the event.
Time will be allowed to change after the awards ceremony.
F. All students are required to ride school district transportation to meets.
G. When leaving from Hamilton High School to a meet, tardiness will not be tolerated. We will
not hold a bus in order to wait for a late team member. If the bus is missed, this may count as
an unexcused absence from the meet.
H. Payment for meals is the student’s responsibility.
I. Coaching staff will make rooming assignments. Team members will not choose their
roommates.
J. On over-nighters, team members are prohibited from entering the rooms of the opposite gender.
Hamilton team members are also prohibited from entering the rooms occupied by other
teams.
K. Cell Phones:
1.Any student who is using a cell phone for non-competition reasons during a round will be
disqualified for the rest of that meet.
L. Team members are expected and required to follow all school rules while traveling with the
Speech/Debate & Drama team. Students have a special obligation to represent their school in
an appropriate manner. Students who violate the rules concerning drugs, alcohol, tobacco,
weapons, theft or coaches’ curfew while traveling will be disciplined severely.
Students can expect:
1. The parent will be contacted and the parent will have the responsibility to provide
transportation back to Hamilton.
2. To be turned over to local authorities if possession of alcohol, drugs, tobacco or theft is
involved.
3. To forfeit all awards, letter, etc. earned during the current season for that activity.
4. Disciplinary action in accordance with the school disciplinary policy.
M. Because there is a good deal of travel involved, it is often necessary for the team to travel early
and/or late. Departure times from home will be exact. However, it is difficult to give exact
return times to parents. More often than not, meets will run late. There are many variables
involved; therefore we will give approximate times of return. Team members will be asked to
call for their rides on the way home from a meet. Expect some early morning departures and
late night returns.
V.
Lettering Policy
A. Team members who receive a letter at the end of the season will be decided upon by the
coaching staff using the following criteria:
1. Team member must earn a total of 425 points throughout the regular season. Points
may be earned in the following ways:
a. Practice:
5 points each ½ hour block of practice with a coach
b. Meets:
25 points for each 1-day meet & 30 points for each 2-day meet
(if you have competed in all preliminary rounds)
c. Placing:
1-10 points based on team sweeps points earned
d. Divisional meet: 25 points (points deducted if qualified for State & don’t compete)
e. State meet:
50 points
f. NFL meet
25 bonus points
g. Fundraising
20 bonus points for significant participation in fundraising efforts
NOTE: If you qualify for State, you are obligated to attend the State competition. The
success of the team is tied to the success of the individual. If you qualify & chose not to then
someone else will lose the opportunity to participate at State.
2. Team member followed school rules and policy while maintaining good sportsmanship and
team spirit.
3. Participants must be in good standing at the end of the season to qualify for a letter.
4. Academic All-State: to qualify, students must letter and have a GPA of 3.5 or better during
the competitive season.
B. Lettering decisions are made by the coaching staff only and they reserve the right to give or
deny team members a letter. However if there are questions or concerns about such decisions,
the team member has the right to discuss them with the coaching staff and the activities director.
VI.
Academic Eligibility Requirements
A. A team member must meet the following HHS requirements:
1. Must pass a minimum of five (5) credit classes per quarter.
2. A composite 2.00 grade point average (4.0 scale) must be maintained
3. HHS eligibility reviews will occur at the 3-week grade checks.
B. Students ruled ineligible will be placed on probation during which time they will be not
allowed to compete or travel with the team. A review by the activities director will occur after
three weeks and if grades have come up to composite (2.0), eligibility to compete will be
reinstated. Students reinstated will have grades reviewed again at six weeks. If at either check,
grades are not up to composite (2.0), the student is then removed from participation for the
remainder of the quarter.
C. Students on Academic Probation may continue to practice if they agree to be placed on an
‘academic progress contract’: for every minute of practice they will complete an equal amount
of study time under the supervision of coaching staff or designee.
VII.
Make Up Work Following Student Absence
A. All work is due the day the student leaves, unless otherwise arranged by the teacher. It is the
student’s responsibility to obtain future assignments from the teacher BEFORE he or she
leaves.
B. There are times when meets conflict with other activities, such as Play Productions or Choir
performances. If you are involved in other activities, please carefully check your schedule
ahead of time so that adjustments can be made.
VIII.
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION
Head Coach: Brenna Chvilicek
Cell phone: (406) 293-1855
chvilicekb@hsd3.org
Assistant Coach: Mariah Ancell
(406) 381-5119
mariahjancell@gmail.com
B. Speech/Debate/Drama website: go hsd3.org -> High School link -> teachers -> Hallock ->
Speech/debate/Drama link or use the web address: http://hsd3.org/Page/1202
Policy Acknowledgment
I have read, understand, and agree to adhere to the 2018-2019 Speech/Debate/Drama Team
Policy.
Student _____________________________________ Date_____________
I have read the 2018-2019 Speech/Debate/Drama Team Policy with my child and understand and
agree to follow the policy.
Parent/Guardian________________________________Date_______________