By Rhonda Alves
Assistant Academic Director
Almost 275 elementary and junior high district meets and counting (we are still receiving district organization and requisition forms), and with a third of those taking place during the fall/winter Nov. 1 Jan. 31 time frame, it reflects a major growth in the E/JH UIL academic program. More than 2,450 schools (and counting) have returned participation cards this year up from 1,800 two years ago.
Over 5,000 elementary and junior high campuses (and counting) exist in Texas, so if you are unhappy in your current UIL district, “just wait a minute!” Elementary and junior high campuses do not have to follow high school district alignments. They can create their own UIL districts. It only takes two interested schools and some motivated sponsors and administrators to form a district.
I think there is some misunderstanding about elementary and junior high UIL district formation. Not only does it come as a surprise to some people to discover the League has not assigned their elementary or junior high campus to a UIL district, but some school districts with multiple elementary and junior high campuses are unaware that each of those schools may be a member of a UIL district. In other words, a school district with several elementary campuses may form those schools into a UIL district.
The individual campuses do not have to all belong to the same UIL district, either. Sections 1400 (j) (3) and 1401 (d) (2) of the Constitution and Contest Rules state that “students will represent their campus. Combined or composite teams are not allowed in UIL district competitions.” A school district cannot take the students from more than one elementary and form them into one school team at the UIL district meet. As is true of all constitutional requirements, this is not a rule that district executive committees can ignore or alter in any manner.
District executive committees (DEC) are fundamental to the UIL. Composed of an administrative representative from each participating school involved in the UIL district, the DEC is charged with significant responsibility. At the elementary and junior high levels, the DEC does everything from determining the schedule to settling protests. Specific duties are articulated in the Constitution.
Though this is an important committee, the DEC cannot alter constitutional requirements. An issue I frequently encounter involves Oral Reading. The oral reading category for grades 4-6 is always poetry, but grades 7-8 perform poetry and prose on an alternating schedule. Prose is the category for oral reading this school year.
The DEC may elect to add prose for elementary students and/or poetry for junior high competition, but it cannot eliminate the required category at the district meet. Junior high students must read prose for this year’s Oral Reading contest, so the DEC may not eliminate prose reading and still include the Oral Reading contest at the district meet.
It is important that principals and UIL coordinators know who belongs to the district executive committee and the identity of the director for the UIL district. The DEC is integral to the functioning of the UIL district. Any protests ensuing from the district meet will be heard by this administrative body.
Fall/winter and spring district materials may be not be returned to participating schools before May 1. I am receiving a lot of calls over this issue. Fall/winter district materials are the same materials used for spring invitational meets. Therefore, test security is an issue until invitational meets are concluded. Modern oratory and oral reading ballots may be returned to schools because these are not secure topics, but everything else must remain with the district director until May 1. This deadline is included in the A+ Handbook and other UIL publications.
It is important that people understand the fall/winter district materials double as the spring invitational materials for more reasons than merely understanding why the May 1 deadline exists. Students who compete in fall/winter district meets should not participate in spring invitational competition unless the host school is using materials other than those supplied by UIL.
The UIL Spring Meet Code requires that contestants “participate in contests in the spirit of fairness and sportsmanship” and that adults “sponsor and advise individuals and teams without resorting to unethical tactics...” Participating in contests in which an individual has already seen the tests is certainly not fair, sportsmanlike or ethical. In a classroom setting, we call it cheating. As sponsors and administrators, I urge you to make sure your students are not retaking tests in order to win tournaments.
Please remember the spelling list and the music memory list change each year. The art contest pictures are on a two-year cycle. A list of artistic works for the 2001-2003 cycle will be posted on the UIL web site in the spring. The 2001-2002 official music memory list will also be posted on the web site in the spring. The spelling list must be ordered through UIL by using the academic study materials order form, which will not be available until August.
I’d love to claim that no mistakes ever occur in the A+ Handbook or in any of the materials we provide. I would be lying, though. We certainly try to provide correct information, but it is important that you read my column (sorry for preaching to the choir on this!), the Leaguer, the Little Leaguer and you check the UIL web site and the elementary and junior high listserve for updated information. The Constitution directs us to publish corrections in the Leaguer, and this rule exists because mistakes do occur.
Other than endeavoring not to make mistakes, please let me know if you have a better idea on information dissemination. I appreciate the feedback. Best wishes for successful spring district meets.