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