POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
ARTICLE I- The purpose of the Ruston High School Speech and Debate Team is twofold: 1) to promote life
skills such as higher order thinking skills, public speaking skills, research skills, analysis and performance of
literature, knowledge of current events, and team work; 2) it is also our intent to represent Ruston High School in
a way that would bring positive recognition and respect to our program and school.
ARTICLE II- Tryouts will be held in the spring of each year. (1) A student who is currently on the team will
have a try-out interview in April or May. It will consist of a self-evaluation of the year and a discussion of how a
students’ unique place on the team could help the squad next year. The coach(es) have the final decision.
(2) For new members, the tryout will consist of an interview by the coach(es) and officers and delivery of an
extemporaneous speech for those trying out for debate/public speaking, and performance of a prepared piece or a
cold reading for those interested in acting events. Determination of membership will be decided by the coach(es)
with input from the officers.
ARTICLE III- Requirements for the team are as follows: (1) tryout or previous membership & successful
interview, (2) attend a summer camp, (3) participate in the fall and spring debate/speech class, with acceptable
exceptions, (4) attend a minimum of six tournaments per year, which are each worth 150 points and constitute a
large part of your grade, (5) maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. If student does not meet this
requirement, he/she will be placed on probation for 6 weeks - at which time he/she may not travel nor may he/she
participate in after school debate activities, elections, etc.; this decision may be appealed; if an officer is on
probation, that student will step down and hand the position over to someone else who has more time to spend on
team responsibilities rather than on recovering academic status, (6) a student is expected to uphold the highest
standards of behavior. If he/she is dismissed from the team for behavior, A] The student will be moved to a
different class as soon as feasible. B] Since a major part of the Forensics Class grade is attending tournaments,
dismissed and probation students will complete research projects for an alternate grade until being moved to
another class. C] In the event a student is dismissed, depending upon the reason for dismissal, he/she may be
allowed to try-out the following year, (8) payment of dues for NFL membership and team T-shirts, 9) sincere
participation in more than one event at a minimum of two tournaments per semester for debaters and in three
events at a minimum of two tournaments per semester for Thespians. Students must rehearse events and
conference with the coach as requested before each tournament in order to meet this requirement.
ARTICLE IV- The following system of consequences will be used to handle any objectionable behavior. It
must be understood that this is a team activity, and if one student’s actions or attitude hurt the rest of the team,
that student will not be allowed to compete on the team.
Tardy to class - reported to office per RHS handbook, with attached consequences given by office.
The following RHS system will be used for RHS Handbook Violations or Speech & Debate Rules listed
below. The list is an example but is not an exhaustive list.
1st offense – Coach will talk to student
2nd offense – Coach will talk to student to find a solution for avoiding problem in the future; coach will talk to
parent about the solution; student will write necessary apologies; student will publicly apologize to the team.
3rd offense – Coach will rework solution with student and contact parent; student will talk to his/her guidance
counselor for additional advice; student will write necessary apologies; student will publicly apologize to the team.
4th offense – Coach will write a referral to the office. Additional offenses will go straight to referrals, instead of
walking through the steps again.
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Displays attitude that negatively affects team unity
Disrespectful, disruptive, defiant to coach, students, other schools, judges, drivers, chaperones, etc.
Uses inappropriate language
Public Display of Affection
Willful Disobedience
Stealing (from concessions or elsewhere) = automatic referral!
Referrals (from any class)
One referral = a warning and suspension from the next tournament
Two referrals = dismissal from team
Suspension = dismissal
If a student is arrested, he/she will be immediately put on suspension from all travel activities, pending further
investigation by the sponsor and administration. If given probation, the student will be dismissed from the team.
We expect the following from you:
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Do not be unprepared for debate/event (lack of evidence, affirmative case, script, piece, proper attire, etc.).
Show up and show up on time to work concessions when scheduled. If a student misses a work assignment
or is tardy (unexcused) more than twice, he/she will forfeit receiving money from concessions.
All teams must provide a list or CD of all files not posted on the open-ev website. This file list will be
distributed to all team members. All teams must share all files except those approved by the coach.
Team members must create a professional image at Tournaments through 1) appropriate dress and 2)
courteous, pleasant, constrained, and mature behavior to all involved, inside and outside of rounds, so as not
to offend any future judges, thereby decreasing our chance of winning or hurting RHS’s reputation.
Once a student has been eliminated from a tournament, he/she must attend out rounds and flow, or watch
other events to see how the student can improve his/her performance.
Debaters-between each round where time allows, team must meet in a designated area to discuss teams hit,
judges, affirmative cases, disadvantages ran, etc.
Ballots will not be distributed until we leave the tournament.
Permission slips must be signed by parent or guardian or a student may not attend a tournament.
Unless extenuating circumstances occur, you must attend the tournament after you have signed up for it.
Since we pay fees based on who signs up, a student must pay extra drop fees and expenses not able to be
recovered. If you sign up for a tournament before report cards come out, and then may not attend because of
grades, you will be responsible to pay all drop fees.
Respect for team members, coaches, other competitors, and judges is a vital part of the Forensics classes.
Rules of Travel
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No team member may be in the hotel room of a non-RHS team member and no non-RHS team member may
be in the room of a RHS team member at any time without permission of coach.
Consequence: student may not travel on any other tournaments unless accompanied by a parent. Referral.
 You must be in your assigned hotel room after room check by coach.
Consequence: student may not travel on any other tournaments unless accompanied by a parent. Referral.
 Use or possession of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Consequence: dismissal from team. Referral.
 Students must have a phone card, cellular phone, or be able to call collect to contact the parent(s) while
traveling. This is in case of emergencies and to call parents on the way home to give an arrival time.
Students are responsible to have their parents waiting at the arrival spot when the bus arrives.
Consequence: Stay after school on Monday to write a coach-directed essay; not allowed on the bus for the next
tournament without proof of contact capabilities.
 Students must wear seatbelts while traveling in vehicles other than the bus.
 At the hotel, the buddy system must be used whenever out of room.
 Students may not stay in the bus except when traveling to and from the tournament with the whole team.
 If a violation occurs, depending on the severity, a parent may be required to come to the tournament and pick
up their child.
While on the Speech & Debate Team – in school or out of school - your behavior must be appropriate since you
are representing Ruston High School and the team. ANY VIOLATIONS NOT LISTED ARE LEFT UP TO
THE DISCRETION OF THE SPONSOR. THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALTER OR
CHANGE ANY ACTION TAKEN ON COMMITTED INFRACTIONS.
ARTICLE VI- All team members will belong to the National Forensic League and pay a fee of $10.00 for that
membership. NFL Points of Merit: 6 points (1st place in an original speech event, win in debate), 5 points (1st
place in an interpretation event, 2nd place in an original speech event), 4 points (2nd place in an interpretation
event, 3rd place in an original speech event), 3 points (3rd place in an interpretation event, 4th place in an original
speech event, loss in debate), 2 points (4th place in an interpretation event, 5th place in an original speech event), 1
point (all other original speech and interpretation event places). Degrees: Degree of Honor (75 points), Degree
of Excellence (150 points), Degree of Distinction (250 points), Degree of Special Distinction (500 points),
Degree of Superior Distinction (750 points), Degree of Outstanding Distinction (1000 points). Letter: A student
letters in debate, speech, or drama once he/she has received 250 debate NFL points.
ARTICLE VII- Officers will be chosen as follows. The coach(es) may choose some captains while others may
be voted on by the team members. The purpose of the officers will be to assist the coach(es) in administrative
duties and provide a voice for the student body. The officers will be required to fulfill the following
responsibilities:
 enroll in both the Fall and Spring semesters of class.
 not have been on academic probation more than 1 six weeks in the year preceding elections.
 promote team unity
 willing to assist other team members
 devoted to success of team
 lead class discussions and lectures
 give constructive criticism to performers, speakers, and debaters
 responsible for judging rounds
 encourages harmony among team members
 organize tryouts, recruitment, Awards Banquet
 manage preparations for Novice Camp
 create concessions schedules, monitors Health Department issues, manages workers.
Debate Captain(s) – keeps track of Hit List, assigns and checks research of class; organizes lectures and
lesson plans with the help of coach; helps coach monitor list of tournaments, helps manage RHS
Tournaments, and keeps track of Extemp as a sub-set of Debate.
Debate Assistant Captain – Also known as the “Den Mother” or “Den Daddy”, if the coach chooses to have
this officer, this person will give special teaching attention to the novice.
Drama Captain – keeps track of which team members compete in which IE’s, assigns and checks analysis
and practice, organizes lectures and activities to prepare IE students.
Secretary – keeps track of NFL points and helps with logistical organization of the team.
Reporter – writes articles and submits pictures to Ruston Daily Leader and Chatterbox, writes
announcements after tournaments, contacts teachers before tournaments, maintains team Roster, emails
parents. May be taken care of by secretary or captains.
ARTICLE VIII-The following awards are available to be received at the ceremony held each May.
 Team Unity Award-this award is voted on by the team members and should be given to the person
who promotes team unity the most.
 Outstanding Speaker Awards-this award is given to the persons with the highest average speaker
ranks in Policy & LD as merited. Ties will be decided first with points, second with record, third
with number of rounds. This award is intended for advanced squad members. An intermediate
competitor with more advanced rounds than intermediate will be considered advanced.
 Outstanding Performance Award -this is a speech award given to the most successful performerwhich will be decided using specific criteria like best average ranks.
 Renaissance Award-this award is given to the student who participated in the most events the most
number of times.
 Novice Speaker Awards – these awards are given to the 1st year students with the best average of
ranks in Policy, LD, and Drama as merited.
 Other awards, such as the Leadership Award or the Service Award, may be given as determined from
year to year.