SCIENCE OLYMPIAD @ RCMSPARENT & STUDENT MEETING

WELCOME!

• Welcome to the RCMS – Science Olympiad Afterschool Program

• Today we will go over some specific details on how this program will work

• Introduction (10 mins)• Roles & Responsibilities (10 mins)• Expectations (15 minutes)• Program Plan and Key Dates (10 mins)• Answer Questions/Concerns (15 mins)

WHAT IS SCIENCE OLYMPIAD?

• Non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of science education• Tournaments for middle and high school students began 1985• State organizations exist in 50 states (plus DC) with over 120,000 participants

in 2018• University affiliation plays a role in more than half of all state organizations• Events updated yearly, meet national Next Generation Science curriculum

standards

WHAT IS VASO?

• Virginia Science Olympiad is a division of Science Olympiad• VASO engages over 3000 students each year, beginning in 3rd grade and

extending through 12th• Division A is the elementary division, Division B is the middle school division

and Division C is high school division.• VASO conducts Regionals and State events• VASO does not conduct invitationals

VASO DIVISION B• RCMS is participating in VASO Division B• We can have up to 15 students participating (Primary Team Member)• Each student will be signing up for a minimum of 3 events and we

recommend a maximum of 5 events (Backup Team Member)• About 2 to 3 students will be competing for each event• Event subjects are around:

• LIFE, PERSONAL & SOCIAL SCIENCE• EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE• PHYSICAL SCIENCE & CHEMISTRY• TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING• INQUIRY & NATURE OF SCIENCE

RCMS – VASO DIVISION B STUDENT - ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary Team Member• Responsible for team progress• Attends all meetings set forth by the

Parent Mentor (a minimum of 1 hour per week per event)

• Contributes actively to planning, preparation and presentation

• Participates is all assigned events• Represents RCMS Values

Backup Team Member• Contribute to team progress• Attends most meetings set forth by

the Parent Mentor (a minimum of 1 hour per week per event)

• Contributes sometimes to planning, preparation and presentation

• Available to participate is all assigned events

• Represents RCMS Values

RCMS – VASO DIVISION B MENTORS/ADVISOR - ROLES &

RESPONSIBILITIES

Mentor/Event Coach Responsibility

• Oversee event team progress• Plan and conduct all event team• Make sure Primary Team members are

actively planning and preparing• Keep track of assigned events rules,

clarifications etc.• Support RCMS Values• LET STUDENTS DO ALL THE WORK while

you facilitate and cheer for them

Advisor Responsibility• Help with place accommodation• Help Mentor/Event Coach when

needed• Support RCMS Values• LET STUDENTS DO ALL THE WORK while

you facilitate and cheer for them

VASO EVENTS & CATEGORIESHTTPS://VIRGINIASO.ORG/EVENTS.PHP

• Building Events• Boomilever• Mission Possible• Mousetrap Vehicle• Machines• Elastic Launch Gliders (Some Regionals)• Ping Pong Parachute

• Process/Lab Events• Circuit Lab• Disease Detectives• Crime Busters• Write It/Do It• Density Lab• Food Science• Write it/Do it• Experimental Design (States Only)

• Knowledge Events• Anatomy and Physiology• Dynamic Planet• Meteorology• Reach for the Stars• Road Scholar• Water Quality• Code Busters (VA Only in B)• Fossils• Heredity• Ornithology

EVENT ASSIGNMENTS

• 15 students, in both 7th and 8th grade (we would prefer for 7th Grader to be individual team leads)

• The team MUST cover all 23 events• Each event requires two or three students• Each student must participate in three events to cover all the events• Event mentors and advisors assist the students in an event

EVENT ASSIGNMENTS CRITERIA

• Students will request events on the Google Form shared over email• Students generally get one event from each category BUT not everyone can do a

building event or a process event.• Student preferences are balanced with the needs of the team and when students

and coaches are available for meetings• Students cannot be in events that are at the same time in the competition• A student gets first choice to be on an event for which their parent is the event

coach• Students may be moved between events as the State team members are selected• If a student takes a less popular event, they will more likely get their preference for

other events

EVENTS ASSIGNMENTS

KEY DATES

• Alternate week after-school meeting schedule shared, all students would need to participate on those days at the same time

Date Tournament Location TypeDecember 14th, 2019 Lake Braddock Invitational

January 25th, 2019 Virginia Tech Regional Regionals

March 28th, 2020 UVA State

TBD TBD Nationals

WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE & AT AN EVENT?

• We will be communicating the Agenda• We will order pizza for lunch, we will reach out to get a count• More to come…

MONIES SPENT?

• Tournament fees• T-Shirt ($20 to $25)• Some materials will be purchased (specifically the ones which are useful

for the long run beyond this season as well as useful for multiple events)

• Expect MySchoolBucks link to be sent out soon

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS?

• We are all a team, we want to make sure our personal priorities are considered after team priorities. So we may not always get the answer we really want to hear. However, as a team, we will adjust and make sure we are all successful.

• For example:• Question: Can I not go to weekly meetings? Can I skip some days?• Answer: You might want to consider putting yourselves in your partner shoes.

What would you do if your partner asked you the same question on something you really wanted to do? Well, you have answered your own question then