City Written Spelling Contest
Each participating group may bring up to ten students to the City
Written Spelling Contest. In addition, elementary school teachers with
non-participating groups may bring up to five students each. The times
(9:15 and 12:00) are bus pick-up times. The actual test will begin when
everybody arrives, sometime between 9:40 and 10:00. Schools are
encouraged to use automobile transportation for this event, but if you
have to use a bus, please do not share buses, as we must get started
on time.
The test is being prepared by Bill Schaefer and will be pronounced
by Roben Deines, retired Carson Elementary and Hill Middle School teacher.
There are 100 words on the test (50 from the 2010 on-line SPELL IT!, 17 from
the NSB Grade-specific practice lists, and 33 from other sources). This year because
of the large number of spellers taking the test, student may not ask
questions about the words as they do during the oral spelling bees. Roben
will provide all commonly used pronunciations, a common definition, part
of speech, derivation, and use each word in a sentence. She will pronounce
each word a number of times. All paper work is provided but students
should bring at least two sharpened pencils. Teachers should bring some
extra pencils for their students just in case. Pencil sharpeners are not
available at Temple Emanuel. After the first 50 words there will be a short
break. Some teachers bring light snacks or juice for their students to eat
or drink at this time. All are encouraged to do this.
Teachers and others who have volunteered to grade papers will grade
the first fifty words while the students are taking the second half of the
test. Teachers who are not grading papers are asked to monitor the test,
to help Roben with the distribution of materials, and to help students with
pencil problems.
When you arrive at Temple Emanuel please enter on the east side just
across the street from Carson Elementary School (maps have been sent to
each teacher) where there is plenty of parking. Roben has asked that no
two students from the same school sit at the same table. Teachers, please
help with the seating of students.
The top 25 students on this test from schools that have previously
registered with the National Spelling Bee qualify for the COLORADO STATE
SPELLING BEE (Saturday, March 6, at the Colorado Convention Center).
The top 25 students on this test from any school qualify for the CITY ORAL
SPELLING BEE (Wednesday, March 3, at Hill Campus of Arts and Sciences.)
After we have finished grading the City Written Test, I will hand deliver
the registration forms for the 25 state qualifiers to the Denver Post. Results
of the test will be available between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day of
the test on this website. Click on "City Written-Results." I will hand deliver
graded tests and practice lists for the City Orals to schools that have
qualifiers on Friday, February 19th. I will send all other graded tests back
to other schools through the school mail on Friday. I think this covers
everything, but if you have any questions email them to me at
Graders Needed...
Teachers and parents are needed to help grade the City Written Tests.
If you would like to help with this contact Bill Schaefer by phone at
303-322-0479 for details. Grading begins about 10:30 a.m. and ends
about 2:00 p.m. We grade the tests in a room adjacent to the testing
site, Temple Emanuel, 51 Grape. St. |
