SCHOOL COORDINATOR’S TIMELINE

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU ARE THE ONLY LINK BETWEEN COACHES, NEW JERSEY, AND THE REGION

July, August, September or even later (but before December 15):

• Verify that membership application and fee were sent to Creative Competitions, Inc.
• Notify your regional Odyssey of the Mind™ Board of any change in coordinators or, if you are a new school, let your region know you are participating (Regional contact information is available on the regional web page at http://western.ncom.org or on the state web site at http://ncom.org.)
• Watch for a state or regional newsletter in October or November

September/Early October:

• Return coordinator’s sign-up to the region to receive newsletter (if your region sends one)
• Prepare flyer announcing Odyssey of the Mind; distribute as your school’s policy suggests
• Consider an article for the PTA/PTSA/PTO newsletter
• Hold an organizational meeting at your school; invite faculty, parents and students
• Sign up team members, recruit coaches and assign teams
• Be sure team members and parents understand the commitment they are making
• Be sure all participants understand what “Outside Assistance” is and how to avoid it

October:

• Give information from Odyssey of the Mind to coaches throughout year
• Copy Odyssey of the Mind® newsletters (from CCI) and distribute to coaches throughout year
• Distribute copies of problems and Odyssey of the Mind Program Rulebook
• Find out when your region offers a coaches’ training
• Encourage attendance at coaches’ training and help coaches register for it
• Possibly have a meeting with coaches to answer some of their questions about getting started. Recommend that they do only spontaneous at the first 2 meetings, because if someone drops out before they start long-term, they can add someone. Provide some spontaneous problems for them to practice (available on the state web page)
• Find out your region’s requirements for providing a judge and/or volunteer for the regional tournament

October/November:

• Look for packet from Regional Odyssey of the Mind Board with tournament registration.
• Be sure coaches return this by the deadline specified with the required fee
• Coordinate the search for a volunteer or judge from teams, as your region requires
• Photocopy all materials from CCI and your regional Odyssey of the Mind Board as they come to you; distribute to coaches and keep a copy for your files

December-February

• Help schedule building use, if necessary, for dress rehearsals for teams
• Continue to get materials, including the Tournament packet, promptly to coaches
• Make sure your membership’s judges and volunteers show up for the Regional Tournament
• Invite faculty and parents to the Regional Tournament
• Help plan in-school assembly or demonstration/dress rehearsal, if appropriate
• Be sure all coaches have up-to-date problem clarifications
• Be sure all teams have copies of the forms they need for the Tournament

March

• Attend the Regional Tournament, support your teams, and HAVE FUN watching the teams!
• Recognize ALL the teams from your membership in some way