DIVISION NUMBERYour school’s division number is below.

Please take note of your school’s division and keep it for future reference.

6

STLtoday.com/Bee

CONDUCTING A BEEThe following are suggestions for organizing a spelling bee and how to register a winner to represent your school/asso-ciation at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee Written Semi-Final Bee on Saturday, March 9, 2019.

DECIDE ON A GRADE/AGE LEVEL. Individual schools/asso-ciations may set their own lower grade/age limit for their school bee. Keep in mind that the Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee is open to students in kindergarten through eighth grades and students must be 15 years of age or younger.

CHOOSE BETWEEN A WRITTEN OR ORAL BEE. A written format works well for school/association level bees. For a written bee, you minimally need a pronouncer to read the word(s), judge(s) to enforce the rules, and volunteers to grade the tests. For accuracy, two different graders should grade each test. An oral bee also needs a pronouncer and judge(s). Once you have chosen the format, be certain that all rules are clearly defined for all contestants.

SET A DATE FOR YOUR BEE. Your winner must be registered with the Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee by February 8, 2019, so plan your bee accordingly. Be sure to allow for unforeseen circumstances such as snow days or illness. Schools/associations that fail to register a winner by February 8, 2019, are ineligible to send a speller to the Semi-Final Written Bee. There are NO EXCEPTIONS.

PREPARE YOUR SPELLERS. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers two types of activities and puzzles to help your spellers. All students may receive a print copy of the SpellCheck for FREE through the Newspapers in Education program. SpellCheck is a tab full of spelling words, tips and tricks, and is the study guide provided by Scripps National Spelling Bee. You may order one copy of each for every child participating in your bee. Be sure to place your order by October 12, 2018.

Spelling Bee Activity Features are a fun and challeng-ing way to learn new words. Features will appear weekly in the e-edition starting November 7 through January 16. Teachers may order the FREE e-edition to make these avail-able to students. To place a FREE order for the SpellCheck and e-edition, visit STLtoday.com/NIE and click on the “ORDER” tab.

REGISTER ONE WINNER PER SCHOOL/ASSOCIATION AND ONE RUNNER-UP. Only one person per school may attend the written semi-final bee. If your winner cannot attend the Post-Dispatch Written Semi-Final Bee, the run-ner-up listed on your school form may compete instead. The runner-up may only attend the semi-final bee if the school’s Spelling Bee Coordinator has informed us of the change by noon on Friday, March 1, 2019. Email your change to nie@post-dispatch.com.

Once your winner has been identified, fill in your division number on the enclosed Champion’s Letter, which is also available on our Bee site, and give the letter and semi-final rules to the winner’s parent(s).

IMPORTANT DATESOCTOBER 12, 2018Last day to order SpellCheck

OCTOBER 15, 2018Early Bird registration (with a reduced enrollment fee) for the Scripps National Spelling Bee ends at spellingbee.com

OCTOBER 26, 2018SpellCheck delivery

DECEMBER 16, 2018Deadline to enroll your school with the Scripps National Spelling Bee at spellingbee.com

FEBRUARY 8, 2019Deadline to enter winner’s name ONLINE at STLtoday.com/Bee

MARCH 9, 2019Written Semi-Final Bee for All Divisions at McKendree Univers ity (No audience)

MARCH 16, 2019Oral Final Bee at McKendree University (Audience over the age of three welcome)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATIONTo participate in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee, your school must complete the TWO-STEP PROCESS:

(1) Register online with Scripps National Spelling Bee at spellingbee.com and pay their enrollment fee before the DECEMBER 16, 2018, deadline. A mandatory late fee will be assessed by Scripps after that date.

(2) Register your school winner with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee by FEBRUARY 8, 2019, online at STLtoday.com/Bee. This is a free registration.

INFORMATION FOLDERREGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS ENCLOSED

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McKendree University \ mə-ˈken-drē yü-nə-ˈvər-sə-tē \ n.: Illinois’s first institution of higher education, providing a high quality, private educational experience to

outstanding students since 1828 in Lebanon, Illinois

Bearcat \ ba(ǝ)r•cat \ n., pl. Bearcats 1: a student, faculty, staff member, alumnus, friend or supporter of McKendree University 2: another name for

the Binturong, a mammal from Southeast Asia

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Colleges.”• Over 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate programs, and

two doctoral degrees• 2,676 undergraduate and graduate students

• 94 full-time faculty; more than 90% hold a Ph.D. or the highest degree in their field

• 96.5% placement rate after graduation• Residency: 41 states and 37 countries

• Extracurriculars: 32 intercollegiate athletic teams and more than 70 student organizations,

including a nationally ranked debate team, marching band, cybersecurity team and Center

for Community Service.

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