| |
 | FAQ - Decathlon |
| SLHS AD Team |
| SLHS AD Coaches |
| SLHS AD History |
| SLHS Octathlon |
| 08/09 Curriculum |
| Art Selections |
| 08/09 Schedule |
| AD Hall of Fame |
 | HOME |
Internet Links:
USAD CURRICULUM A BIT O' IRISH SLHS AD - GOOGLE GROUP TEXAS ACADEMIC DECATHLON U. S. ACADEMIC DECATHLON DEMIDEC UIL UIL - CONSTITUTION AD MESSAGE BOARD
FAQ - Decathlon
|
|
Question about AD at SLHS - who do I contact? Email me: John P. Irish
What is Academic Decathlon?
Academic Decathlon is a nationally recognized, intellectually competitive, and fun academic team competition designed to include students from all academic backgrounds. Each team consists of three “A” students (Honors), three “B” students (Scholastic) and three “C” students (Varsity). The competition consist of a seven-minute interview, a one-hour essay and two speeches, and written comprehensive exams are given in music, art, language/literature, mathematics, economics, science, and social studies. The topic for the 2007 – 08 school year is "The Civil War." In addition to the topic content, which changes from year to year, there are general knowledge questions in math, economics, music, literature, and art. AD is a fun way to challenge yourself intellectually, be part of a competitive team, and win scholarship money. Competition is at the District, Regional, State, and National levels.
What is the difference between Decathlon, Octathlon, and Pentathlon? Decathlon is the equivalent of a Varsity sport (open to 10th - 12th graders), Octathlon is the equivalent of a JV sport (only open to 9th and 10th graders), Pentathlon is the junior high competition.
How will the team be picked? - In Order of Importance
How many people make the Decathlon team? 9 people make the AD team - 3 Honors (GPA: 4.00-3.75), 3 Scholastic (GPA: 3.74-3.00), and 3 Varsity (GPA: 2.99-0.00).
What if I don't make the AD team - is there a second team, or can I do Octathlon? Texas Academic Decathlon does not allow more than one AD team per school; Octathlon is open to those interested, who are 9th or 10th graders. If the interest is there and we have the numbers, we are allowed to field more than one Octathlon team per school year.
When is it decided who makes the AD team? Typically, in December after the Katy ISD AD Scrimmage we will select the final 9 members - we may attend an additional meet after this to help in the selection process as well. Either case, a decision will be made before the Christmas Break.
Is there a class for AD? And do I have to be in it to make the team? KISD does have an AD preparation class, called PreAP Humanities, which is open to 11th or 12th graders, with permission from the coach. Students interested in trying-out for the AD team should enroll in this class. It is required, however, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Does SLHS have anything for those wishing to try out for the Octathlon team? Yes, we have a designated study hall period for those wishing to try-out. This will be a mixture of study hall time and Octathlon preparation. You do not have to be in this study hall to try-out for the AO team.
When does Octathlon competition take place? The Octathlon competition takes place after the AD season is over, typically the Regional Meet is in April. Those interested in trying-out for AO should plan on meeting after school once the AD season is done.
Will AD / AO require any after-school or before-school meetings? Yes - there will be some time outside of the school day that we will meet and cover material. Exact times and days will vary from year to year - but all students should expect some outside school requirements. If you are involved with athletics or fine arts, which have outside school requirements, all sponsors and coaches will have to work out a schedule that will work best for all involved. You will be expected to put in some outside school time, just like you would in athletics or fine arts.
When does preparation for AD begin? The Summer before the competitive school year. There will be an information meeting at the end of the current school year for those interested in trying-out for the AD team the following year.
When does preparation for AO begin? You can begin studying as soon as you would like to; however, the official preparation time does not begin till after the AD season is over - we will work on AO skills during the study hall for those who are in this.
What if I don't make the team, can I try-out the following year? What if I make the team, do I have to try-out the following year? Yes to both questions. Each year is a new season, while being on the team the previous year will give you advantages, it does not guarantee you a spot for the following year.
Does my AD GPA change within the school year? No, your AD GPA will be set once the Fall Semester begins; that is, your AD GPA at the start of the Fall Semester will be the GPA you will use the entire year. Your Fall and Spring grades will only affect your standing for the following year.
How do I calculate my AD GPA - do all classes count? No, only your core classes count for the AD GPA (e.g., math, science, english, social studies, and foreign language) and only your grades for the past two years will count toward your AD GPA (e.g., if you are a Freshman, then your 7th and 8th grades would count toward your AD GPA). Also, your AD GPA is a non-weighted GPA (e.g., an A in AP U.S. History would only be a 4.0, regardless of the fact that it is an AP class).
What is NO-PASS-NO-PLAY? A rule established by the UIL, which governs all academic and athletic extra-curricular activities in the State of Texas. It says that in order to be eligible for extra-curricular activities, you must pass all classes. This rule applies to AD as well.
How much of a commitment is AD? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer - AD is the equivalent of a Varsity Athletic sport, therefore, the commitment will be at the same level of that. Any successful program requires hard work and a high level of commitment from all involved, students, parents, coaches, principals, etc. - being part of the AD team is one of the biggest commitments a student can make in high school.
How does the competition work - what do we do at the tournaments? The competition consists of comprehensive multiple choice exams in 7 academic areas, along with speeches, interviews, and a written essay.
How much of a commitment does AD expect from the parents? There is very little expected from the parents, the main thing is to support the students and coaches in the decisions we make. In Nov. we will be having a SLHS warm-up tournament, just for SLHS students, we will need parent volunteers to help with the scoring and judging for this.
1. Dedication and Priority - your dedication to the program must be one of your top priorities; if we are going to be successful we must have students who are willing to go that extra mile and do whatever it takes to make us one of the top teams in the state.
2. Positive Attitude - anything can be accomplished with a positive attitude. Your attitude influences everything that you do.
3. Discipline and Work Ethic - do you go to all of the meetings, do you stay for them all, do you come prepared for all meetings, are you prepared for all tests, have you turned in all of your assignments on time and complete.
4. Test Taking Ability - this competition thrives on strong test takers. In order to be competitive we must have strong test takers - but notice that this is last in priority. Good test takers can be beaten by the first three. It happens all the time.
