Olympiad Changes and Rule Revisions for 2010

In an
attempt to address concerns and conflicts present in previous
Olympiads, the following changes have been made. Further changes
may occur as discussion continues.
- Welcome to Carolyn Hoover from NASA. She has taken on the role of lead organizer for the
Olympiad.
- Team Size - All teams will consist of no more than 25
students. There will be no alternates.
Each team may consist of no more than 12 sixth graders. The
remaining team members may be a mix of fourth and fifth graders.
- School districts maintaining 10 or more elementary and
middle school buildings may bring up to two (2) teams. The two
teams will represent different buildings and will be led by two
different coaches.
- Cost - The Olympiad is
increasing its entry fee by $10.00 this year. The entry fee is
now $60.00. The invoice is posted, and this must be submitted to
Dr. Ferguson at Cleveland State by December 1st; see invoice on main page for address.
- The Head-to-Head events are now included in the teams'
overall rankings. There will still be one winning team recognized
per half-hour slot, earning medals and they will now earn points toward
the team's total.
- Periodic Table has been removed from the event list.
- Coming soon! - NASA is sponsoring a hands-on,
inquiry-based Mystery Event.
It will be included in the Ranked events. Two students will
compete per team, but the rest will remain a mystery to emphasize
on-the-spot problem solving and scientific thinking.
- T-shirts - All teams will receive 25 student shirts and 2 adult
t-shirts included in their entry fee. Additional adult
shirts must be ordered by the posted deadline (February 15, 2010) , or your team will be
unable to purchase additional shirts. The price is also still to be determined.
- There is an updated coaches checklist. Please refer to this in planning for Olympiad deadlines.