Star-Telegram Regional Championship Spelling Bee Information

Star-Telegram Spelling Bee Coordinator:
Jennifer Sagstetter -- jsagstetter@star-telegram.com
400 West 7th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
817-390-7128 phone
817-390-7250 fax

Scripps National Spelling Bee:
513-977-3040 Headquarters Office Phone
513-977-3803 Headquarters Office Fax
www.spellingbee.com

Age & Eligibility Requirements:
The Star-Telegram follows the same rules as the Scripps National Spelling Bee. A student must not have passed beyond the eighth grade on or before February 1, 2008. There is not a minimum age requirement. All eligible ages and grades compete with each other at the Area and Regional levels.

Qualification Structure:
Our region is divided into 33 areas. The winner of each school Bee advances to their Area Spelling Bee. The winner of each Area Bee advances to the Regional Bee. The Regional winner goes to the National Spelling Bee.
Please note: Only the first place winner of the school Bee may advance to their Area Spelling Bee. If a school houses both an elementary and middle school, two students are allowed to compete at their Area Bee. In this situation, the elementary school must conduct a school bee, determining a first place winner, along with the middle school conducting a separate bee, determining a first place winner as well. In this case, both first place winners are allowed to advance to their Area Bee. This scenario is common for most private schools that house both an elementary and middle school.

Home Schools:
All home schools compete in Area 33. Home Schools follow the same guidelines as public and private schools. Each participating home school will have a school bee. If there is only one student in the home school, that student is automatically the champion and advances to the next level. The winner of the school bee advances to the Area 33. Bee held in February. The winner of the Area Bee advances to the Regional competition in March.

Private & Parochial Schools:
There are 3 Private School Areas. The location of your school determines the Area in which your school competes. 

The 3 Areas are:
Area 15- Private Schools East of I-35
Area 16- Private Schools West of I-35
Area 17- Arlington Private Schools

Registration Process:
Scripps National Spelling Bee implemented a new registration policy in order for schools to participate in the Spelling Bee Program. The guidelines mandated by Scripps are the following:

All schools and homes schools must enroll with Scripps National Spelling Bee at www.spellingbee.com. The fee for enrollment will be $99.00 PER SCHOOL......NOT DISTRICT. A benefactor or representative of your school should register at www.spellingbee.com to purchase the materials and enrollment fee of $99.00, and to secure log-in information for copies of the 2008 Pronouncer Guide plus three grade specific levels of the new 2008 Classroom Pronouncer Guide.

Local Home School Associations are subject to the $99.00 fee. This fee covers all members of the Home School Association.

Home School families, whom are not members of a Home School Association, are subject to a $10.00 per family registration fee.

Schools that have not registered through Scripps National Spelling Bee will not be eligible to participate at The Regional Spelling Bee, or The National Spelling Bee.

Study Materials and Pronouncer's Guide:
Prior to the schools enrollment with Scripps National Spelling Bee, students may begin using the FREE official study guide from Scripps and Merriam -Webster. This guide will be made available in late August. Log on at: www.myspellit.com to obtain the guide.

Please note: The free on-line access to myspellit.com replaces the ordering of "hard copies" of the booklets through The Star-Telegram. The Star-Telegram will no longer have any study materials available for purchase and distribution. All copies must be downloaded through Scripps National Spelling Bee website.

Methods of Payments:
All accepted forms of payment are posted on Scripps National Spelling Bee Website.

Questions Regarding Payments:
Please direct all questions regarding payments to Scripps. A separate entity, The Star-Telegram, is not a part of Scripps's payment process.

Questions Regarding Any Issues Dealing with Scripps: National Spelling Bee Website. Including Access Codes, Downloading, Navigation Issues, and ALL Other Technical Support Matters:
Please direct all questions regarding Technical Support to Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Area Information:
Below is a list of The Star-Telegram Spelling Bee Region. Each region is divided into "Areas." Find the Area in which your school will compete.

Areas 1-6: Fort Worth ISD

Areas 7 & 8: Arlington ISD

Area 9: H-E-B

Area 10: Birdville ISD

Area 11: South Tarrant- Burleson, Crowley, Kennedale, Mansfield, Grand Prairie, schools with a zip code starting with "76"

Area 12: West Tarrant- Azle, Castleberry, Lake Worth, Saginaw, White Settlement

Area 13: N.E. Tarrant- Keller, Summerfields, Haslet, Rhome, Justin, Trophy Club, Roanoke, Watauga, NW Ft. Worth

Area 14: N.E. Tarrant- Colleyville, Grapevine, and Southlake

Area 15: Private Schools East of I-35 (Except Arlington)

Area 16: Private Schools West of I-35 (Except Arlington)

Area 17: Arlington Private Schools

Area 18: Wise

Area 19: Hood

Area 20: Somerville

Area 21: Palo Pinto

Area 22: Erath

Area 23: Parker

Area 24: Young

Area 25: Jack

Area 26: Stephens

Area 27: Eastland

Area 28: Comanche

Area 29: Brown

Area 30: Hamilton

Area 31: Bosque

Area 32: Johnson (all schools within, except Burleson)

Area 33: Home Schools

Area Coordinator Information:

Areas 1-6:
Area Coordinator: Deborah Marshall
817-871-2536
dmars@fortworthisd.net

Areas 7 & 8:
Area Coordinator: Judith Stringham
682-867-7482
jstringh@aisd.net

Area 9:
Area Coordinators: Priscilla Hollis & Kelly Rall
817-399-2040
priscillahollis@hebisd.edu
rallk@hebisd.edu

Area 10:
Area Coordinator: Judi Bell
817-547-5802
judi-bell@birdville.k12.tx.us

Area 11: south Tarrant County (Burleson, Crowley, Everman, Kennedale, Mansfield, Grand Prairie, schools with a ZIP code starting with “76”)
Area Bee date: February 15, 2008.
Location:  Legacy High School, 1263 N. Main Street, Mansfield
Time:  10:00 am
Area Coordinators: Dr. Sarah Jandrucko & Pam Collins, 817-299-6320 or collpa@mansfieldisd.org

Area 12 (West Tarrant County - Azle, Castleberry, Lake Worth, Saginaw, White Settlement):
Area Bee date: February 12, 2008.
Location: Will Rogers Memorial Center/Cactus Room
Time: to be determined
Contact: Jennifer Sagstetter (jsagstetter@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7128)

Area 13  (NE Tarrant - Keller, Summerfields, Haslet, Rhome, Justin, Trophy Club, Roanoke, Watauga, NW Fort Worth):
Area Bee date: February 12, 2008.
Location: Will Rogers Memorial Center/Cactus Room
Time: to be determined
Contact: Jennifer Sagstetter (jsagstetter@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7128)

Area 14 (NE Tarrant - Colleyville, Grapevine, Southlake):
Area Bee date: February 12, 2008.
Location: Will Rogers Memorial Center/Memorial Center
Time: to be determined
Contact: Jennifer Sagstetter (jsagstetter@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7128)

Area 15 (Private schools east of I-35/Except Arlington)
Area Bee date: February 11, 2008
Location: Will Rogers Memorial Center/Cactus Room
Time: to be determined
Contact: Jennifer Sagstetter (jsagstetter@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7128)

Areas 16- 20:
Confirming information now.  Information will be posted upon confirmation.

Area 21 (Palo Pinto County):
Area Bee date:  February 13, 2008
Location:  Mineral Wells ISD Board Room, 906 SW 5th Ave., Mineral Wells
Time:  1:00 pm

Area 22:
Area Coordinator: Marilyn Pack
254-968-2596
mpack@sville.vs

Areas 23-32:
Confirming coordinators now.  Coordinator information will be posted upon confirmation.

Area 33:
Area Coordinator: Jennifer Sagstetter
817-390-7128
jsagstetter@star-telegram.com

**Dates, Times, and Locations of The Area Bees will be posted upon confirmation from Area Coordinators.

2007-2008 Spelling Bee Schedule:

September- December:  Registration with Scripps National Spelling Bee. Study Materials Downloaded

January 21- February 22:  Area Spelling Bees

February 22, 2008:  Area Spelling Bees completed. Names of Area Bee winners submitted to Star-Telegram Spelling Bee Coordinator

March 3, 2008:  Star-Telegram Regional Spelling Bee at Will Rogers Memorial Center/Round-Up Inn.  Speller Check in: 9:00 A.M.

May 25- May 31: National Spelling Bee Week, Washington D.C.

area 33 (home schools)

area bee date: february 11, 2008

location: will rogers memorial center/cactus room

time: tbd

contact: jennifer sagstetter (817-390-7128)