Scripps National Spelling Bee

Hello!   My name is Susan Alberti and I am your state homeschool coordinator for spelling bees which are a part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee system.  I, along with my fellow spelling bee coordinator, Jodi Irwin, will be organizing the district and county spelling bees this year.   Our goal is to provide an opportunity for all Alabama homeschooled students to participate in the bees.

Homeschooled students go by the rules that apply to all students including age and grade requirements.  The rules of eligibility may be viewed by going to www.adtrav.com/bee.  All students must also be registered with Scripps National Spelling Bee.

There are currently two ways to register:

1.      A homeschool covering or association can register online at www.spellingbee.com.  The $120.00 registration fee covers all families in the covering or association.  When prompted to enter a school option, please click on “Homeschool Association” rather than “Private School”.  The administrator of the covering or association will receive the word lists and be responsible for passing those on to the families. (Note: MRCS currently does NOT register as an association; if an MRCS Mom would like to volunteer as Spelling Bee Coordinator for MRCS, please contact Retta Franklin.)

2.      If your covering or association has not registered with Scripps, your family may join another homeschool association, Learning at Home.  Elaine Brown started this association several years ago, and I will now assume the responsibility for this association as the new administrator.  The $10.00 registration fee to join Learning at Home covers all eligible children in your family.  Learning at Home is already registered with Scripps for this year, so we are now ready to accept family registrations.

Remember:  If your child is currently enrolled in a covering or association that has already registered with Scripps for this year, there is no need for you to join Learning at Home.

To join Learning at Home, you may register in one of two ways.  You may either send a check for $10.00 (made out to Susan Alberti) to the following address:

Susan Alberti

39 Bayside Court

Gulf Shores, AL  36542

Please include with your registration check, a 3×5 index card with the following information:

Your name

Children’s names  ( only those eligible to participate in a bee)

Your address

Your telephone number, with area code

Your email address

Your covering name

 

OR you may send an e-mail to spellingtime@yahoo.com with the above information and submit your $10.00 fee through Paypal.  Your payment will be submitted to spellingtime@yahoo.com.  Please click the “personal” tab and check “payment owed”.  We hope that this method will provide a fast and convenient way to send in your registration.

All Learning at Home emails will now come directly from my e-mail address spellingtime@yahoo.com.

Membership in Learning at Home entitles all of your dependent children who are eligible, to participate in a district bee.  You will receive an email confirmation from me once I have received your registration fee and information.  You will then receive word study lists provided to me by Scripps.  The deadline to join Learning at Home is December 26, 2013.

Once your family is registered in one of the two ways mentioned above, please look for an upcoming email about what to expect next regarding district spelling bees.  These will be held in January of 2014 with the statewide “county” bee taking place in February of 2014.  Information about specific dates and times will follow in November.

Jodi and I are very excited about beginning this spelling bee season, and we certainly hope to have lots of participants.  I have been involved with spelling bees for many years beginning with my fourth and fifth grade classes’ participation in public school and county bees in the state of Georgia.  I believe serving in this capacity will be the most rewarding yet because I will be able to meet families across the state who share the love of spelling and look forward to the annual spelling bees as my family does.  Jodi and I anticipate a wonderful year ahead, so let’s get ready to study!

Sincerely,

Susan Alberti