The final debates in the preliminary rounds of the Open grades are coming up over the next few weeks. It is important that all coaches are aware of the following rules:

– You may only use 7 speakers in any one team in the preliminary rounds. If you use more than 7 speakers, you will not be eligible for the finals series.

– Each speaker must have spoken at least twice in the preliminary rounds in order to be eligible to speak in the finals series.

– Teams that default twice in the preliminary rounds are automatically withdrawn from the competition. This is particularly important to note for those teams who have already defaulted once this year.

A full copy of the rules is available here.

If you are not sure of any of the above, or which speakers you have used so far, please contact your grade convenor.

Junior Open

Round 4 is on Monday 30 April.

Students should have been researching the advised topic area which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for release of the moot at 4.30pm with the debate starting at 5.30pm and will finish at 6.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.20pm for release of the moot at 5.30 with the debate starting at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.30pm.

Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Senior Open

Round 4 is on Tuesday 1 May.

Round 4 is an impromptu debate. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for release of the moot at 4.30pm with the debate starting at 5.30pm and will finish at 6.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.35pm for release of the moot at 5.45 with the debate starting at 6.45pm and will finish at 7.45pm.

Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Premier Junior

Round 3 is on Wednesday 2 May. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 5.20pm for announcement of the moot at 5.30pm. The debate will then commence at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 6.50pm for announcement of the moot at 7.00pm. The debate will then commence at 8.00pm and will finish at 9.00pm. Remember to check your draw and venue.

If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

The date for Advanced Open Round Four has been changed.

Unfortunately, the Law Faculty at the University of Auckland has changed the date of one of its assessments, meaning that the assessment now falls on the date of Advanced Open Round Four. This has placed us in an impossible situation in terms of judges – three quarters of our judges study law at Auckland University, and these judges will now be unable to judge on the 8th of May. Consequently, we have moved the date of Advanced Open Round Four to Tuesday 15th May. This is a week later than the original date on our calendar, and will allow us to have a fourth round rather than cancel a round altogether. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to schools by this change, however we have no other option apart from moving the date.

If your team cannot make this date, please email us as soon as possible so we can ask your opposition if they are willing to move the debate to the catch up round. We would appreciate if teams who are asked to move their debates to the catch up round for round four do their best to accommodate these requests so that debates do go ahead.

The date of Round Three has not changed so teams are expected to debate on Tuesday 24th of April. A reminder email will be sent closer to the date.

Junior Open

Round 3 is on Monday 2 April.

Students should have been researching the advised topic area (Learning a Language) which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for release of the moot at 4.30pm with the debate starting at 5.30pm and will finish at 6.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.20pm for release of the moot at 5.30 with the debate starting at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.30pm.

Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Senior Open

Round 2 is on Tuesday 3 April.

Students should have been researching the advised topic area (Cheerleaders) which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for release of the moot at 4.30pm with the debate starting at 5.30pm and will finish at 6.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.35pm for release of the moot at 5.45 with the debate starting at 6.45pm and will finish at 7.45pm.

Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Advanced Open

Round 2 is on Tuesday 27 March. The Round 2 debate is an impromptu debate. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 5.20pm for announcement of the moot at 5.30pm. The debate will then commence at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.45pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 6.50pm for announcement of the moot at 7.00pm. The debate will commence at 8.00pm and will finish at 9.15pm. Remember to check your draw and venue.

If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Premier Junior

Round 2 is on Wednesday 28 March. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 5.20pm for announcement of the moot at 5.30pm. The debate will the commence at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 6.50pm for announcement of the moot at 7.00pm. The debate will then commence at 8.00pm and will finish at 9.00pm. Remember to check your draw and venue.

If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Winter Championships Results

The Winter Championships were held over the weekend with 19 teams competing over four rounds. The standard of debating was really high, and it was great to see speakers taking on feedback and improving over the weekend.

The results are as follows:

Winners: King’s College (Ashley Varney, Jamie Beaton, Richard Ngo)
Runners Up: Westlake Boys 1 (James Rankin, Jesse Medcalf, Yishen Zhou)
Best Speaker: Jamie Beaton (King’s)
Tournament Team: Jamie Beaton (King’s), Chris Ryan (Howick), Ashley Varney (King’s)
Reserves: James Rankin (WBHS), Jesse Medcalf (WBHS)
Highly Commended: Andrew Winstanley (Auckland Grammar), Mitchell Smitheram (Kristin), Matthew Lie (WBHS)

Thank you to WBHS for providing a great venue on Saturday, and to Corinne (Convenor) and Hamish (Chief Adjudicator) for running a great tournament!

Junior Open

Round 2 is on Monday 19 March. Students should have been preparing the topic which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for a 4.30pm debate and will finish at 5.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.20pm for a 5.30pm debate and will finish at 6.30pm. Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Senior Open

Round 2 is on Tuesday 20 March. Students should have been researching the advised topic area which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for release of the moot at 4.30pm with the debate starting at 5.30pm and will finish at 6.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.35pm for release of the moot at 5.45 with the debate starting at 6.45pm and will finish at 7.45pm. Remember to check your draw and venue. Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss. If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Advanced Open

Round 1 is on Tuesday 13 March. Students should have been preparing the topic – Arranged Marriages – which was released a week ago. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 5.20pm for announcement of the moot at 5.30pm. The debate will then commence at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.45pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 6.50pm for announcement of the moot at 7.00pm. The debate will commence at 8.00pm and will finish at 9.15pm. Remember to check your draw and venue.

If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Premier Junior

Round 1 is on Wednesday 14 March. Teams in the first session need to arrive at 5.20pm for announcement of the moot at 5.30pm. The debate will the commence at 6.30pm and will finish at 7.30pm. Teams in the second session need to arrive at 6.50pm for announcement of the moot at 7.00pm. The debate will then commence at 8.00pm and will finish at 9.00pm. Remember to check your draw and venue.

If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Junior Open

Round 1 is on Monday 5 March.  Students should have been preparing the topic which was released a week ago.  Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for a 4.30pm debate and will finish at 5.30pm.  Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.20pm for a 5.30pm debate and will finish at 6.30pm.  Remember to check your draw and venue.  Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss.  If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Senior Open

Round 1 is on Tuesday 6 March.  Students should have been preparing the topic which was released a week ago.  Teams in the first session need to arrive at 4.20pm for a 4.30pm debate and will finish at 5.30pm.  Teams in the second session need to arrive at 5.20pm for a 5.30pm debate and will finish at 6.30pm.  Remember to check your draw and venue.  Teachers on the draw must adjudicate or their teams will receive a loss.  If you need to default, use the contact details to email AND call the grade convener.

Advanced Open team limit

In my letter to TICs of debating, I stated that each school may only enter one team in Advanced Open.  This is incorrect – the limit is four. 

Calendar change

The  Impromptu Cup and the PA Final/ Prizegiving were scheduled immediately before or during Term 3 exams.  We have therefore changed the dates to:

Tuesday 28 August at 6pm: Prizegiving
Saturday 18/ Sunday 19 August: Impromptu Cup

Opening evenings

Please encourage your coaches and teams to attend the opening evenings – they contain useful information as well as a demonstration debate.  Both evenings take place at the Auditorium at St Cuthbert’s College.  Go in the main gates, walk towards the large white building, turn left to go around the back of the building and through the glass doors, then walk across the atrium to the auditorium.  Please be seated by 6.30pm sharp.

- Junior Open and Senior Open Opening Evening: Monday 20 February
- Advanced Open, Premier Junior and Premier Advanced Opening Evening: Tuesday 28 Feburary

Teacher-adjudicator training evenings

All coaches of Junior Open and Senior Open teams are required to judge 2 – 3 debates per team they have entered.  As such they must also attend a teacher-adjudicator training seminar.  This also applies to teachers who have adjudicated before.  We were a little disappointed with turnout at some of the seminars last year, so please do pass this message on to your coaches. 

To make it easier for teachers to attend, we have scheduled the seminars throughout Auckland on different nights so teachers can pick a venue and day that suits them (they do not need to attend the seminar in the ASD zone in which their school is).  An ASD Committee member will explain how to adjudicate.  This will be followed by an opportunity to ask the committee member questions, and complimentary refreshments to thank the teachers for giving up their time.

- Western Zone: Wednesday 22 February, 6pm, Rutherford College in B2.  B Block is the first block you see when you enter the school.
- Central Zone: Wednesday 22 February, 6pm, Epsom Girls Grammar School Staffroom.  Park on Silver Road, walk up the main path with lawns on either side, take the first right, and there is a staircase on the left leading to the staffroom.
- Eastern Zone: Monday 27 February, 6pm, Howick College Library in G Block.  Drive past the main entrance until you reach the whale mural, turn left, go through the parking area then down the driveway to G Block.
- Southern Zone: Monday 27 February, 6pm, Tangaroa College Resource Room in E Block.  This is between E3 and E4.  Click here for a map.
- Northern Zone: Wednesday 29 February, 6pm, Westlake Boys’ High School in E12.  E12 is upstairs in E Block, and there will be signs to E Block from the main administration building.

Extra teams in Premier Junior and Premier Advanced

Several schools have suggested that they want a second team in either or both of these grades.  If you do, please enter your hypothetical second PA team in Advanced Open and your hypothetical second PJ team in Senior Open.  Then email us and a) confirm that you want an extra PA/ PJ team, and b) explain whether, if you get the second team, you want to remove one of your Senior Open or Advanced Open teams or whether those slots will be filled by other students wishing to debate.  We will email you on Monday 20 February with whether you have an extra team(s).  Unfortunately we cannot tell you beforehand as we will not know the current number of entries and hence whether the Premier grades have capacity for second teams.

Entry deadline

Remember to enter teams by Wednesday 15 February at 4pm.  Go to www.aucklandschoolsdebating.org.nz and click “Click here to register”.

Scholarships

If your school cannot afford part or all of the entry fees, email us to apply for a partial or full waiver of your fees.  Enter teams as if you will receive what you request and you can withdraw them if your request is unsuccessful. 

For $60, an experienced university debater will come and give a coaching session to your team.  If you cannot afford this, apply for a coaching scholarship and ASD will pay this for you.

Please note that there have been two changes to the ASD Calendar for 2012:

1. The Impromptu Cup is now on Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 August 2012.

2. The Premier Advanced Final and Prizegiving is now on Tuesday 28 August 2012.

The updated calendar is available by clicking on the “Calendar” menu above.