We are pleased to announce that the Virginia Odyssey of the Mind Association has adopted
a new policy regarding Division 3 competitors at the Regional level.
Starting this year, both 1st and 2nd place Division 3 teams at the Regional level
in all problems will advance to the Virginia State Finals tournament.
NoVA North advocated for this change to provide high school teams a broader opportunity
to enjoy and benefit from the Odyssey program. As always, teams that advance must present
a solution that is a sincere effort to address the spirit of the problem.
Divisions 1 and 2 will continue to advance only 1st place teams due to constraints on the
size of the State tournament.
We look forward to seeing your solutions on March 12.
NoVA North
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Tournament Registration is now available! Please make sure you have all information and your volunteer judge is registered before you start. More information and a link to the registration process can be found here.
Spontaneous Opportunity – Master Spontaneous Workshop for coaches on 12 Dec at Park View HS in Sterling. The cost is $30. To sign up, email nwregiondirector@gmail.com with the names of the participants.
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Registration for the “Encouraging Creativity” training session closes at noon on Saturday, October 31 (Halloween) for coaches and assistant coaches who are foreign nationals. Those with U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status may register until noon on Tuesday, November 3 (Election Day). Please be aware that class rosters must be submitted to The MITRE Corporation® shortly after those deadlines, so we cannot make any exceptions to the cut-off dates and times.
The “Encouraging Creativity” class is an interactive session covering techniques to help teams begin to think more creatively in coming up with their long-term solution and solving roadblocks on the way to the tournament. Techniques learned in this class are also useful in helping teams become better at handling spontaneous challenges.
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The registration deadline for the first Coaches’ Training session “Welcome to Odyssey of the Mind” is rapidly approaching. New coaches and assistant coaches with US citizenship must register by Thursday at 7 AM; foreign nationals must register no later than 7AM tomorrow (Monday, Oct. 26). Please remember to include your country of citizenship on your registration.
“Welcome to Odyssey of the Mind” is an overview session that provides coaches, assistant coaches and parents with comprehensive information about how the program works, what the teams should be doing between now and March, and the responsibilities of adults involved with teams. It also provides an opportunity for questions and answers.
While the overview provides basic information, it is not interactive. Remaining sessions in the training series provide coaches and assistant coaches with an opportunity to discuss and practice concrete techniques that they can use when working with their teams. These sessions are appropriate for both new and experienced coaches.
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If you are a school coordinator, coach, or assistant coach, please read the information below.
The NoVANorth Board is grateful to The MITRE Corporation® for hosting Coaches’ Training this Fall. Their generosity enables us to keep tournament costs low. However, in order to use their facilities we must adhere to their security protocols. Please be aware that these are requirements – not requests – and we cannot ask for or expect any exceptions.
- Class rosters must be submitted 48 hours prior to the class.
- You must bring a government issued ID to receive a Visitor’s badge.
- Foreign nationals have an earlier registration deadline. We need to submit the following information to The MITRE Corporation® at least five days prior to each session: Name, Citizenship, and School.
What this means to you:
- Registration deadlines will be firm. There can be no late registrations, last minute substitutes, or walk-ins.Most coaches must register at least two days prior to classes; foreign nationals must register 5 or more days prior to the class. Information regarding registration deadlines is posted on the Training Registration page.
- You may not bring children with you to training – even if they are well-behaved – unless their names are on the class roster.
- We recommend that you register for all sessions that you are interested in attending, even if you are not sure you will be able to make them all. This year’s pricing structure enables you to attend three or more sessions for the same $30 price; giving you the flexibility to miss up to three sessions if you sign up for the entire series.
Coordinators, please make sure all of your school’s coaches and assistant coaches understand these requirements and register early. If you have any questions about training please email the training coordinator.
Note that the Considerations for Coaching Primary session originally scheduled for Tuesday 11/3 was changed to Saturday 11/7 10-12. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that anyone who was planning on that session will be able to attend on Saturday.
Directions to the training site are now available on the registration page and on the event link, including a diagram of the buildings.
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