Alabama Homeschool Spelling Bee News

Hello, everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment to send out some reminders as we move along through the season.

First, please enroll with Learning at Home as soon as possible if you are not involved with a homeschool group that is enrolling with Scripps! I’m attaching the Learning at Home PDF( Click HERE) just in case some new email list members have not received it.

It is important to enroll, because the sooner you do, the sooner you can get the study materials your speller will need to study for district bees and beyond. Some schools will hold bees that incorporate these words, as well, so access to these materials is important to have sooner rather than later. The deadline to register is December 17, 2014, but please don’t wait!

One more note on that topic: If you choose to pay by check, please make it out to Laura Ann Tipps. I do not have a separate bank account for Learning at Home.

Second, I’d like to remind everyone that school spelling bees are encouraged but not required–I think they’re great opportunities for practice before district, county, etc. However, regardless of a student’s participation, non-participation, or finish in a school spelling bee, they have the right to compete in one district spelling bee as long as they are part of an organization that is enrolled. Whether that organization is a student’s homeschool group or Learning at Home, all the student needs is verification of enrollment in order to register for a district bee.

Third, speaking of districts, I am still looking for a coordinator for my Mobile district! If you are considering this position and feel unsure, don’t hesitate to contact me or any of our three existing district coordinators with questions. I’m sure they would be more than happy to provide guidance and reassurance, as would I! If you do not have the District Bee PDF with their info, please let me know.

Fourth, school administrators, if you have any questions about holding school spelling bees, please contact me. If you do not have the School Administrators PDF, let me know.

Fifth, I know there may still be a few who want me to remove you from my email list yet. Just let me know if you no longer need to receive spelling bee emails!

Finally, I just want to invite you all to continue to share these messages with your friends, families, and homeschool organizations. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertisement, and I want the word out this year! It helps me reach people whose email addresses have changed, are new to the community, who have just decided this year that their student is old enough to participate, etc.

Speaking of which, I have taken a couple of questions about minimum age, after parents read the eligibility page on the Scripps spelling bee website. (http://spellingbee.com/eligibility) Technically, there is no minimum age. The school and classroom study lists begin at 1st grade, and my personal recommendation is no younger than 1st or sometimes even 2nd grade. It is truly up to the discretion of the parents, but those are my two cents!

Thank you for your time and for your participation! I look forward to registering many more of you with Learning at Home and getting your materials to you so that your spelling bee season can truly begin.

Laura Ann Brown Tipps

Alabama State Homeschool Spelling Bee Coordinator

(256) 504-2768