Welcome to Competitive Public Speaking & Debate!!!
Instructor: Mrs. Nash & Mr. Agha
E-mail: Kirsten.Nash@pfisd.net Samin.Agha@pfisd.net
Phone Number: 594-1206
Team Website: https://sites.google.com/site/hawkspeechanddebate/
Remind 101: @hawkdebate
Either send a text to (972) 464-1923 with the message: @hawkdebate OR email hawkdebate@mail.remind.com
Course Description
This course is designed to serve as an advanced, competitive communications course that focuses on public speaking as a
form of communication. This course is designed to help you select intellectually challenging and socially significant speech
topics appropriate to specific audiences, prepare outlines that facilitate the delivery of well-organized speeches, develop
your research skills as well as knowledge about the construction of an argument, enable you to comfortably, competently
and eloquently speak in front of an audience, and to assess public speakers' strengths and weaknesses. You will also learn
techniques to increase confidence, methods of adapting to a variety of audiences, and ways to support ideas with sound
evidence and logic. You will be speaking in this class! If at any time you need my assistance please feel free to see me, I
will help you in any way I can.
Tournament Attendance
This is a competitive class. By enrolling, you have also become a member of the HHS speech & debate team. Throughout
the semester, you will be expected to attend three tournaments (VARSITY) or one tournament (NOVICE) each nine
weeks. Failure to attend the tournaments will result in an automatic drop of one grade level for that 9 weeks period.
(For example, if you are earning a 92 for the class, but do not attend the tournament, your grade will be an 82. You may
pass the class without attending tournaments, but you will not get an A.) Dates of tournament opportunities are on the
schedule, along with helpful information on the team website. You will receive a HHS Speech & Debate tournament
schedule on the second day of class – it is your responsibility to make sure you fulfill this requirement. If you have
questions/concerns about this requirement, you should see me ASAP to discuss. If you are ineligible or you have some
sort of rare scheduling problem and cannot attend a tournament during a 9 weeks, you may receive an alternative
assignment– it is an extensive research paper. You will want to stay eligible and attend the required tournament!
Extemp Filing
Filing is a required component of the course. Students are required to file AND highlight 20 articles per week (VARSITY)
and 10 articles per week (NOVICE). This is TWO MAJOR GRADES per nine weeks.
Ballots and Flows
Examining ballots and flows from competitive debates is essential for learning. Students are REQUIRED to keep all ballots
AND debate flows in their binder. They should be titled and stored acceptably (we will discuss in class). This is a MAJOR
GRADE each nine weeks. Each tournament, we will also do a reflection and each 9 weeks we will do a comprehensive
analysis for growth.
Required Materials
* 1 or 2-inch 3 ring notebook – to keep track of the syllabus, notes and handouts. Students are responsible for
keeping up with this information, as it will be referred to throughout the semester. Keep up with your stuff!!
* Pen / Pencil (bring EVERY day)
* 3 expandos (1 31-slot, 2 alpha slots – SEE EXAMPLE)
* Timer
* 1 Set of dividers (3 Sections needed): Vocab/News Reviews, Lecture Notes/Handouts, Critiques/Ballots
Grading
Your grade in this class is determined by using the following criteria:
50%
Major grades (classroom/debate participation, progress, speeches, tests and major projects)
10%
Tournament Attendance (1 per nine weeks – not an option unless you do not qualify)
10%
Practice Attendance (Tues/Weds, 18 practices/9 weeks – attend 90% of practices for a 100)
30%
Daily grades (homework, in-class activities, group daily work, filing, current events quizzes)
Classroom Rules & Procedures
1) Be respectful!
 Regardless of the “heated nature” of some of the topics we discuss, all communication with your fellow
teammates, me and any visitors should be respectful, courteous and mindful of differences at all times.
 Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated – any student caught cheating will be given a zero for the assignment
and receive appropriate disciplinary action (see handbook).
 Follow directions the first time they are given.
2) Be ENGAGED!
 This course requires active, continuous discussion and engagement. In order to create a successful environment
for learning & growth, all teammates are expected to be contributors to the discussions.
 Cell phones should be put away in this class – if I see them, I will take them.
3) Be positive!
4) Be on task and prepared!
 Be sure you are engaged in meaningful, Speech/Debate-related work at all times. We work from bell to bell.
Afterschool Practice
Just like practice is important in sports, practice is important for debaters as well. These after school practices are a critical
component to your success on the Speech & Debate team and are REQUIRED. There are two practices per week. A
“Practice Attendance” grade will be given each nine weeks as a major grade. All absences from practice must be
communicated with Mrs. Nash and should be made up during practice make-up time. For Novices, attending 90% of
practices in a 9 weeks will earn a 100. Varsity members are expected to be in attendance at all practices. Any missed
practices are to be made up via arrangement with Mrs. Nash or Mr. Agha.
HHS Speech & Debate Library & Technology
Items belonging to HHS Speech & Debate must be checked out and RETURNED – if you need a book, laptop, laptop cord,
etc., follow the check in/check out procedures. Failure to do so will result in a referral and may keep you from being able
to travel with us to tournaments. Failure to return HHS Speech & Debate items in a timely manner will result in a hold
being placed on your records and will be treated like any other campus obligation at the end of the year. Before
technology items may be checked out, students must complete and return a technology usage contract.
Presentation / Speech Due Dates
It is very important that you are ready to go on presentation days. Deadlines and due dates are communicated FAR in
advance – keep these in mind and stay on top of the assignments. If you are not prepared to give your speech on the due
date, you will receive a 0. Students may ‘make up’ the missed speech within in the next 5 class days for a maximum of a
70. Presentations must be completed within the three week grading period to receive credit. Students wishing to redo a
speech/presentation after earning a failing grade must redo the entire assignment on a different topic.
Class Discussion Participation Grades
You will get ongoing grades for participation in classroom discussions – in Congress rounds, practice PF rounds, round table
discussions, book chats, etc. While occasional silence on a particular topic is acceptable, routine lack of participation is
unacceptable. Failure to participate will results in poor classroom discussion grades.
Late Work
This class doesn’t have late work. Assignments are considered ‘not turned in’ if they are not turned in when you walk in
the door. Once this happens, a 0 will be recorded. Students may redo or resubmit Minor Grades before the end of the 3
week period, to receive a max grade of 70. Redos must be good-faith efforts at the assignment; trivial attempts will not be
accepted or graded. Work that is not turned in within the 3 week period will not be accepted. In-Class or participation
assignments are not eligible for make-up if a student opts NOT to participate during the time allocated in class.
Retesting or Redoing
Students scoring below “70” on a Major Grade may redo the assignment/test (or similar) after completing prerequisite
work. Retesting/redoing should be completed within five school days. For multiple choice exams, all students will be
allowed to correct the exam to earn back ½ of the lost points. Students wishing to redo a project after earning a failing
grade must redo the entire assignment on a different topic.
Parent / Guardian:
PLEASE SIGN UP and provide contact information using the instructions listed on the Hawk Speech & Debate website and
provided in the Speech & Debate Handbook.
Tournaments are the primary fundraiser for our team. Tournament proceeds enable us to pay for buses and entry fees for
the tournaments we attend. Parental involvement is essential to our success in these endeavors. Parents should select at
least ONE tournament shift to ‘work’ during the year. We also rely on parents to bring food to supplement the items
served in hospitality. That list is located on the website – please select a couple items to bring for the September
tournament – lists for other tournaments will be put up as we near those dates. Each student is also required to bring in 1
case of water (24) for the tournament. Water is due by Tuesday September 1st. Other tournament items are due as
follows: perishable items – Friday, Sept 5th, nonperishable items – Weds, Sept. 3rd.
Hawk TFA Meet – September 4-5
Friday Dinner – 5-9:30pm
Saturday Breakfast – 7-11:30am
Saturday Lunch – 11:00am-3:30pm
Saturday Dinner – 3:00-8pm
Hawk UIL / Reagan Debate – February 6
Saturday Breakfast – 7-11:30am
Saturday Lunch – 11:00am-3:30pm
Saturday Dinner – 3:00-8pm
This year, HHS is also hosting the TFA State Meet, the largest speech and debate state tournament in the country. We
anticipate having over 3000 guests to our high school at this meet. We ask that parents choose at least ONE shift to work
during the State meet in addition to the TFA/UIL meets mentioned above. Time slots are as follows:
TFA State (THIS YEAR ONLY) – March 9-12
2 Wednesday Registration Assistance – 5:00-9:30pm
5 Thursday Morning Setup – 8:00-12:00pm
10 Thursday Snack – 12:00-4:30pm
10 Thursday Dinner – 4:00-9:00pm
5 Friday Morning Setup – 7:00-11am
10 Friday Lunch – 11:30am-4:30pm
10 Friday Dinner – 4:00-9:00pm
10 Saturday Breakfast – 6-11:00am
10 Saturday Lunch – 10:30am-3:30pm
10 Saturday Dinner – 3:00-8:00pm
The above dates / time slots are listed on the ‘Sign Up Genius’ located on our website. Please follow this link and sign up
ASAP so we can assess our need areas.