If your child has never been in a spelling bee, here's what the night looks like.

1. One speller at a time. Spellers take turns at the microphone, and our pronouncer reads each word aloud.
2. Ask for help first. Before spelling, your speller can ask to hear the word again, or ask for the definition, a sentence, the part of speech, or the language it comes from.
3. Say it, spell it, say it. Spellers say the word, spell it letter by letter, then say it again. Once a letter is spoken, it can't be taken back, so slow and steady wins.
4. Spell it right and move on. A correct spelling sends your speller to the next round. A miss means their bee is done for the year, and they get to cheer on their friends.
5. Last speller standing wins. If every speller in a round misses, they all stay in and a new round starts.

If your speller needs an accommodation, please email spellingbee@rsespta.org well before the bee so we can plan for it.

After you register, the official Scripps study list arrives by email. The words on bee night come from that list, so it's the best place to spend practice time.

Awards. Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place spellers take home trophies on bee night. Grade-level winners receive medals, and every speller gets a participation ribbon, all handed out at the Friday assembly after the bee.

The road ahead. Our 1st and 2nd place spellers move on to take the online Austin-area bee test. Top scorers there are invited to the regional bee, and that champion goes on to represent our area at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. We'll share the details with those families right after the school bee.

It takes a team to put on a bee. We're looking for 3 to 4 judges plus a few helpers to check in spellers and keep track of rounds. Judges need a good ear and a careful eye. No spelling bee experience required.

Interested? Email spellingbee@rsespta.org and let us know which night works for you.

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