Welcome to the Office for Cultural Development & Newton Community Pride’s 12th Annual Spelling Bee (2020)
We are thrilled that your child is joining us for this Spelling Bee. In an effort to help you prepare your child, please review this list of general rules and guidelines.
We wish everyone the best of luck!
“Bee” Prepared General Rules and Guidelines
Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled session
(Be sure you are registered for one day only)
| Tuesday, March 10 | Wednesday, March 11 | Thursday, March 12 | Monday, March 16 | Wednesday, March 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30 – 1st Grade | 3:45 – 1st Grade | 3:45 – 2nd Grade | 5:00 – 1st Grade | 5:30 – 3rd Grade |
| 3:15 – 2nd Grade | 4:30 – 2nd Grade | 4:30 – 3rd Grade | 5:45 – 2nd Grade | 6:15 – 4th Grade |
| 4:00 – 3rd Grade | 5:15 – 3rd Grade | 5:15 – 4th Grade | 7:00 – 5th Grade | |
| 4:45 – 4th Grade | 6:00 – 5th Grade | 6:00 – 5th Grade |
- We provide light refreshments only, if your child has not eaten at home, please bring a snack.
- Each grade will be called on stage together. Students will be asked to spell a grade appropriate word. Children will be competing within their own grade level only; they will remain in the contest until they spell a word incorrectly. The children will be asked to stand to spell their words.
- Students may ask to hear a word a second time, have it used in a sentence, and/or ask for the definition.The next child will receive a new word. Students will also be able to “self-correct” (i.e. saying an incorrect letter and then changing it before they finish, is okay). Additionally, the emcee or judges may ask a student to spell a word again if the initial spelling is unclear. Once the student has completed spelling their word, they repeat the word to signal that they are finished. At that point, they may not change their spelling. We can only accept the American spelling of a word.
- If they spell the word correctly, they will stay on the stage and proceed to the next round where they will spell increasingly more difficult words.
- Children who do not spell their word correctly will be escorted off the stage. The next child will receive a new word. Of course, everyone is a winner –we will be awarding all participants a gift for all of their hard work.
- In fairness to all children who are participating in the Spelling Bee, it is very important that we keep the noise level to a minimum. Please hold your applause until the end of each grade bracket. At the end of each round, we will prompt you to give each grade a big round of applause for all of their hard work.
- After your child is no longer participating in the Spelling Bee, we welcome you to stay and watch the remaining spellers or leave at your convenience.
- When the number of spellers is reduced to two, the elimination procedure changes. At that point, when one speller misspells a word, the 2nd speller shall be given that same word. If the 2nd speller spells that word correctly, PLUS correctly spells the next word on the list, they become the winner. Each grade level will have a winner. To be the 1st prize winner, the speller needs to correctly spell two words.
Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Looking forward to meeting you.