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November 2008 Silicon Valley Newsletter

Wed, 11/19/2008 - 12:18am — John Cardosi

 

California Creativity Silicon Valley Region
Destination ImagiNation®
www.californiacreativity.org/silicon-valley
Volume 20   Issue #2                                            November 2008
 
Upcoming Events
November 24, 2008 – Training for Rising Stars Team Managers
 
We will have training for new team managers of Rising Stars teams on November 24, 2008 at 6:45 pm, The training will be at Diemer, Whitman & Cardosi, 75 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 290, San Jose, CA. This training is for Managers of Rising Stars Teams only.  Please do not bring children to the training. 75 East Santa Clara is locked at 7:00 pm, so try and be on time. If you get locked out, call John Cardosi at 408-506-7146.
 
Parking: Park at theThird Street Garage, 95 N. Third St., San Jose, CA. Parking is free after 5:00 pm. You may need to take a ticket to get into the garage.  
 
December New Team Manager Training
 
Because so many teams seem to be getting started later this season, we will schedule a final Team Manager Training in December. Check the regional calendar after Thanksgiving for the details.
 
Instant Challenge Festival - December 6, 2008
 
The Instant Challenge Festival is a wonderful opportunity for your team. Teams will be given several Instant Challenges to solve. They will be able to see other teams’ solutions and get feedback from the Appraisers. 
 
The festival will be at Peterson Middle School, 1380 Rosalia Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 on Saturday, December 6, 2008. 
 
Because of space limitations, teams must pre-register to attend the Instant Challenge Festival. Teams that show up without pre-registration cannot be guaranteed participation.
 
This year we are organizing the Festival a little differently than we have in the past.
 

Elementary teams are encouraged to attend the first session, Middle and High School teams are encouraged to attend the second session.  Rising Star teams will be grouped together in the first session with challenges designed just for them. If you cannot attend the session set for your team’s level, we will try and fit you into the other session.   However, younger teams will feel more comfortable if they are grouped with similarly aged teams, so we encourage you to try and make the designated time.  Rising Stars teams should only attend the first session.  All teams will participate in a joint session from 10:45 to 11:45 am.

 
It is strongly suggested that Session 2 teams bring a snack or sandwich to eat during the Session 2 break. No food or drinks are allowed in the IC rooms.
 
IC Festival Schedule:
 
Check-In for Session 1 (courtyard)   8:10-8:25am
Session 1: Rising Stars and Elementary 8:30-11:15 am
 4 IC sessions8:30am-10:30am
 Break for Session 1 teams10:30-10:40am 
 Focus on Creativity Session10:45-11:15am
Check-In for Session 2 (courtyard) 10:20-10:40am
Session 2: Middle and High School  10:45 am -1:30pm
 Focus on Creativity Session 10:45-11:15am
 Break for Session 2 teams 11:15-11:30am 
  4 IC sessions 11:30am – 1:30pm
 
 
 
Registering For the IC Festival
 
Register for the IC Festival by sending an e-mail to Lauren Bird-Wiser at birdwiser@ix.netcom.com no later than November 29, 2008. Put “IC Fest” in the subject line. In the message include the team manager name, school or membership name, unique team name, your team's level (Rising Stars, Elementary, Middle or Secondary level), your preference of 8:30 or 10:45 start time, and complete team membership number (if available). Rising Star teams will be placed in Session 1 at 8:30am. Because of space limitations, parents will be unable to observe the teams during the festival.
 
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:  Session 1 teams may want to bring a light snack for their break. It is strongly recommended that Session 2 teams bring a snack or sandwich for their break. The rooms may be unheated, so dress accordingly.
 
Advanced Team Manager Training – Instant Challenges - December 6, 2008
 
Advanced Team Manager Training: “Instant Challenges” will be offered at Peterson Middle School, Room D-4, on Saturday, December 6th, after the Instant Challenge Festival. This training is for new and experienced team managers who want to learn how to improve their team’s Instant Challenge solutions. This training is for team managers only. The training will be in two sessions:
 
Properties of Materials and Task-Based Challenges: 2:30-3:30pm
 
Performance-Based and Combination Task/Performance-Based Instant Challenges: 3:30-5:00pm
 
The training will incorporate lessons relating to the Instant Challenges used during the morning IC Festival. However, you do not have to attend the festival in order to attend the IC training.
 
When you register for the IC Festival, please let us know how many Team Managers from your team will be attending the IC Training in the afternoon.
 
California Registration Deadline – December 20, 2008
 
The California deadline for purchasing your membership at ShopDI is December 20, 2008. Make sure you buy your membership before the deadline.
 
January 14, 2009 is the Silicon Valley Region Registration Deadline
 
Please make sure your school or sponsoring organization completes the membership application process, including payment, by the January 14, 2009 deadline. Without a valid membership number your team cannot participate in any tournaments. The program materials are not available until the membership has been activated, so it is especially important to finish the process early. Memberships can be purchased at www.shopdi.com.
 
In order for team managers to register their teams with the Silicon Valley Region, the coordinator or person who originally purchased the organization’s membership must provide the team manager with their team’s membership number. With this number, the team manager goes to www.californiacreativity.org to register the team.  
 
If you have not done so, you must first create a log in account. The first time you log in, you will be provided with a onetime password.   Change the password to one of your choosing. After you have created an account, click on the “team registration” link on the left hand side of the screen and follow the prompts. If you have trouble with the team registration process, please email John Cardosi for assistance.
 
It is not necessary to have all of the team information at once. However, you should go back and complete your individual team information by January 14th – ten days before the Team Manager’s Tournament Walkthrough. This will enable us to streamline the tournament registration process and get important information to you more quickly.   It also helps us to plan the tournament and make it the best possible experience for kids.
 
Teams are encouraged to come up with a unique team name.   Although the team number is your official identification, teams will be referred to at tournament by whatever name they choose to call themselves. This promotes team camaraderie and helps differentiate multiple teams from the same school.
 
Tournament Appraisers
 
Teams must supply a trained appraiser to participate at the tournament. Teams who do not have a trained appraiser participate at the tournament will not receive scores and will not be able to advance to the state tournament.
 
DON’T WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO LOOK FOR AN APPRAISER. FIND ONE NOW!
 
This year we are asking you to provide us with your team’s Appraiser information by January 14, 2009.   In December we will be updating the California Creativity website with instructions on how to invite your appraiser to register at our website. These instructions will be available at http://www.caldi.org/howto.
 
Please make sure that your Appraiser really wants to do this. They should take the commitment seriously. In the past we have had team-provided Appraisers not show up for training or, even worse, not show up on tournament day. Our DI kids have worked hard for months, and we want them to enjoy the fullest appreciation at the tournament.
 
Appraising is a lot of fun. Appraisers get to see many teams perform and to see how different teams interpret the same challenge.   Remember, however, that your Appraiser will not be able to see your team perform.
 
Appraisers must attend two half day trainings on the mornings of January 31 and February 7, 2009. These will take place at Fremont High School, 1279 Sunnyvale-Saratoga Rd., Sunnyvale, CA 94087. This format gives your Appraisers time to absorb what they have learned and to look over challenge materials before attending the second half. Experienced appraisers may be excused from attending the first training session with the approval of the appraiser coordinator.  
 
Appraisers must be prepared to spend the entire day of March 8th at the regional tournament. Depending on the challenge and venue, Appraisers could be asked to show up as early as 6:30am or stay as late as 5:30 pm.          
                                                                                                                                                            
Teams advancing to the State Tournament on April 4, 2009 must provide a trained Appraiser for the State Tournament on April 4th. Teams invited to advance to the State Tournament will not be registered to participate in the State Tournament unless they supply a trained appraiser for the State Tournament. If your team’s regional Appraiser is unable to accompany you, you will need to find someone else who has appraised regionally. 
 
Team Managers’ Tournament Walkthrough - January 24, 2009
 
Don’t miss this important event. This is your opportunity to find out what will happen on tournament day. We will explain the procedures, give you the chance to experience the process,  meet your Challenge Masters and  other managers sharing your challenge. Walkthrough is at Peterson Middle School (1380 Rosalia Ave, Sunnyvale) on January 24, 2009 from 8:00AM to 2:00PM. Lunch is included.
 
 
Silicon Valley Regional Fee Deadline – January 24, 2009
 
January 24th is also the deadline for payment of the $80 per team regional fee. Tournament registration information will be included in the December newsletter. The regional fee pays for all of the trainings, printed materials, instant challenge materials, the Instant Challenge Festival, tournament space rental, challenge set up materials, insurance costs and much more.
 
________________________
 
Team Managers:  
 
Read the “Team Managers’ Guide” and “Charting Your Course” which are part of the program materials you receive when your membership is activated. 
 
Remember, teams cannot solve the challenge without reading the full version of the challenge, plus the “Rules of the Road”, and all published clarifications on the web site.
 
Be sure to check the web sites for updates:
 
     www.idodi.org for challenge materials and clarifications.
 
     www.californiacreativity.org for state information.
 
     www.californiacreativity.org/silicon-valley for local information – if you’re reading this online, you’re already here! 
 
 
Important dates to mark in your 2009 calendar!!
 
•     January 14, 2009: Deadline for DI team membership purchase    January 14, 2009: Deadline for submitting Appraiser information and for registration of individual team information at www.californiacreativity.org .  
 
•    January 24, 2009: Team Manager’s Tournament Walkthrough and deadline for payment of $80 regional fee
 
•   January 31 and February 7, 2009: Appraiser Trainings
 
•   March 7, 2009: Tournament Day
 
© California Creativity Association