Shenendehowa Odyssey of the Mind Shenendehowa Odyssey of the Mind Art

Nigh Orenda's Odyssey of the Mind Program - 2015-2016 Schoolhouse Year

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving contest involving students from kindergarten through college . Teams with up to 7 members work together at length to solve a trouble and then present their solution to that problem at a tournament. At the same tournament, each team must solve a spontaneous problem which they have not seen earlier.

Children from Orenda in grades three-5 are volition be placed on a partitioning 1 team. They will exist competing confronting other form school teams in our region. Children in grades Thousand-two will be placed on a primary squad. Primary teams will also present their solution to a long-term problem and solve a spontaneous problem but will non be competing with other teams. This is intended to introduce young children in the primary division to the fun world of Odyssey in a non-competitive and less stressful environment.

Parent and teacher volunteers are needed to charabanc/co-motorcoach teams or conduct broad skills workshops for all the teams to assistance the kids with full general concepts that will serve them well in solving their long-term issues. These presentations could be focused on how to utilize a drill, diverse art techniques, making small machines, writing, acting, etc. The dates and location of these workshops will be adamant at a after time.

Team Germination and Meeting Schedule

If your child(ren) are interested in this plan:

• Send the following data to Orenda.pta.copresidents@gmail.com past Friday September 25, 2015 end of the schoolhouse day.  The long-term problem descriptions can exist plant at this link http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/materials/2016problems.php

• Child's name

• Grade

• Teacher

• 1st and 2^nd Selection of long-term problem (long-term bug can be found at http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/materials/2016problems.php). (Note that children in grades Kindergarten through 2nd can only choose the primary problem.)

The team's meeting schedule will be worked out and agreed to past those on the aforementioned team but it is recommended that a division 1 team commencement coming together once a week by Oct. The early on meetings will be focused on team building, spontaneous problems, and the broad concept presentations. Starting in December Division i teams should plan to meet more frequently until the tournament in March. The primary segmentation team tin can start meeting in Dec.

Toll to Participate

• $50 participation fee per child. The fee for the coach and co-charabanc's child volition be waived with a limit of participation fee waiver per family. Families with two or more than children participating (and where a parent is non coaching) volition receive a 50% discount the additional children. Odyssey Shen District T-shirts are included in the cost and will be provided to all team participants.

• Materials costs. Each long-term problem has material costs associated with solving the trouble (see the Long-term problem synopsis). To minimize costs teams are encouraged to use recycled materials and share supplies such as tape and paint. These costs are covered by the team and not the PTA.

Critical Dates

Submit your child's info to Orenda : Fri September 25, 2015 (Annotation:  You can sign up at the Ice Cream Social on September 18).

• Tournament – Sat March 5, 2016 at Shenendehowa HS East.

• Coaches Preparation: BOCES sponsored coaches training is being decided. Based on feedback, there will be a longer weekend session for new and newer coaches with a shorter refresher for seasoned coaches. Those dates will be in November and Oct, respectively. Shen's PTA Council is also planning to provide training session for coaches and coaching assistants.

• Judges Training: January 23^rd at Shenendehowa High School West

• Team recognition ceremony: Orenda Deli/library after the March 5^th tournament

Volunteers NEEDED

Volunteering is a great way to become a glimpse into what Odyssey of the Listen is all about!!!

As host for Region 7, Shenendehowa CSD requires all its schools within the commune to send volunteers. This twelvemonth Orenda will send two volunteers to cover the concession stand up.

In addition to concession duty, volunteers are required past Odyssey to be registered for each of Orenda's participating teams. The concession volunteers do NOT count and cannot serve for this requirement. Ii volunteers are required for each participating squad, a volunteer (to serve at large) and a judge. If a volunteer and estimate are non sent so Orenda is assessed a steep fine per team.  Orenda is hoping to have three teams attend the tournament again this year which volition mean that 3 judges and 3 volunteers will be needed.