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Academic Department Adds New Resources for Students and Coaches
By Treva Dayton, Academic Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 12:10 PM
Many of you are no doubt looking forward to a well-deserved break from your school responsibilities and the chance to spend time with family and friends or some quiet time to yourself or the chance to do something other than work that you truly enjoy. I hope that despite an often hectic holiday schedule of activities you find some time to rest and relax.
We’ve been working throughout the summer and fall to provide updated resources in all high school academic areas, and we trust that you’ve been using the newer information now posted on our website under each academic contest. In recent months, we’ve added a few additional items.
Legislative Council Approves Theatrical Design Contest Officially
By Ronald L. Watson, Theatrical Design State Contest Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 12:06 PM
A marvelous thing happened in October to advance the state of theatre education in Texas. At its regular meeting on Oct. 17, the UIL Legislative Council voted to make the Theatrical Design Contest an officially sanctioned contest by the League. Officially sanctioned means that the Council recognizes the educational benefits that the Theatrical Design Contest provides students in the state of Texas and encourages all schools to participate. The contest will not be a part of the district academic meet, though.
The Theatrical Design Contest began as a pilot contest in the spring of 2006 and has been held every year since. Growth in participation has been tremendous. There were 36 entries in 2006 for the first contest and more than 300 entries for last year’s contest. Participants include students from schools all over the state and from every conference from A to 5A. State finalists and winners have come from all five conferences as well.
Documentation Details for 2011-12
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 11:55 AM
As you prepare for competition, one of the most important things prose and poetry performers must do is to secure appropriate documentation for the performance categories.
Securing documentation is not a task that can be left until the last minute. The categories were designed to document easily, but you should secure proper documentation in advance of invitational and district meets.
Do this before you put your heart and soul into analyzing and rehearsing a literary work for competition. If documentation is insufficient, you won’t even get to compete, so knowing the requirements and making certain you have met the contest rules is an integral part of preparation.
Top Two Debate Areas Announced
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 11:53 AM
Infrastructure and Immigration are the possible Cross-Examination Debate topics for the 2012-13 season. Following the national topic selection meeting in August attended by state association directors and leading debate coaches and then a preliminary ballot distributed and counted by states earlier this fall, two topics emerged as national contenders. Infrastructure and Immigration received the most votes from debate coaches across the nation.
A vote to select the final topic is now being conducted. Texas coaches have received a ballot from the State Office or they can access the ballot online. We need all schools to submit their ballot so the Texas vote will be representative of the entire state. The deadline for returning ballots to UIL is Jan. 3.
Opportunities, Deadlines and Changes in OAP
By Luis Muñoz, Theatre Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 11:47 AM
The script and set addition deadline is rapidly approaching. Daily submissions are now arriving with many scripts for evaluation. Please make sure that you follow the procedures in the 19th edition of the Handbook for One-Act Play.
Failure to do so may result in a procedural disapproval and, if close to the deadline, inability to resubmit. Please make sure that your check accompanies your package. That can create incredible delays. It’s best to use the post office box address found on every other page of your handbook.
Samuel French, Inc. Announces New eBook Program
By Press Release from Samuel French | Monday, December 05, 2011 11:45 AM
Samuel French, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest publisher of plays and musicals, announced this week that they will expand their offerings to include eBooks. Titles from playwrights such as Dale Wasserman, Charles Busch, Israel Horovitz, Ray Cooney and Marsha Norman will be available for download beginning in November, along with other Samuel French plays and musicals.
This is a significant development for the theatre industry, which has only a few small entries into the eBook market from other theatrical publishing companies. Samuel French is by far the largest play publishing and licensing house to venture down this road. They will bring a substantial selection of their catalogue t
Judge Etiquette in the Sight-reading Room
By Jeff Turner, TMAA Orchestra VP | Monday, December 05, 2011 10:47 AM
Another concert and sight-reading judging season will be here sooner than we think. As that time of the year nears, I wanted to share a few thoughts and ideas about professionalism on a sight-reading panel. As I thought about the word professionalism in this context, I concluded it would be more appropriate to speak in terms of etiquette defined as: the code of ethical behavior regarding professional practice or action among the members of a profession in their dealings with each other.
In our TMAA judging workshops, we spend most of the time discussing best practice for writing educational sheets and assigning appropriate ratings. I’d like to suggest some things that come under the “other” category of judging that we tend to take for granted.
Coaches Need to Prepare for Start of Swimming and Diving Season
By Traci Neely, Assistant Athletic Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 9:37 AM
The swimming and diving competitive season is upon us.
Coaches need to make sure they complete required documents to begin the competitive season. Coaches must complete the UIL Individual Sport Eligibility Form and file a copy that includes a list of all varsity athletes with the District Executive Committee Chair prior to the first competition.
Coaches should retain a copy of the original eligibility list. Also, please remember to file a supplemental eligibility list in the case additional athletes come out for the team later in the season.
Council Approves Changes for Golf and Wrestling
By Peter Conteras, Assistant Athletic Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 9:07 AM
The idea is — if a policy change is educationally sound and the masses support it, the UIL Legislative Council will listen. This proved to be true once again this past October.
Wrestling and golf saw approved changes in their qualifying standards at the recent Legislative Council meeting in Austin. All Council action is still awaiting the Commissioner of Education approval. If the commissioner signs off, the changes will be effective Aug. 1, 2012.
Katy Superintendent Named New Legislative Council Chair
By Jeanne Acton, UIL Journalism Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 8:57 AM
At the October Legislative Council meeting, the council thanked and congratulated Mesquite Superintendent Linda Henrie for her service as the 2010-2011 Council Chair.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
At the October 2011 Legislative Council Meeting, Alton Frailey, the superintendent at Katy ISD who served as first vice chair in 2011, was elected as the new chair.
UIL Executive Director Charles Breithaupt said Frailey is a “tremendous leader and innovative thinker.”
“He is a huge supporter of the UIL,” he said. “I am looking forward to working with him.”
Frailey will replace Dr. Linda Henrie, the superintendent from Mesquite ISD.