2024-25 Registration closes October 1st

Before you register to join the SO Club, make sure you go through the following:

• EMS is allowed to register up to 6 teams this year (2024-2025). Team 1/Team 2 from last year will continue without change.

• In a full team of 15 students, each student will be assigned 3-4 events, which will possibly require upwards of 3-4 study/test hours per week (approx. 5 - 10 hours of commitment per week). Each team will also have their own regular meetups which will also take up time. Please evaluate your time commitment capabilities. We would like no students to quit a team in the middle of the season. 
• The 2024-25 Science Olympiad (Division B Middle School Level) consists of 23 events. Please make sure to read the contents of each of them. 2024 Division B Events.
• WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION, YOU ARE GIVING SO CLUB PERMISSION TO USE STUDENT'S NAME, PARENT'S NAME, AND CONTACT INFORMATION to Share with coaches to form a team.
• There is no fee for registering with SO club.

If you have read the above and completed/confirmed everything, please go to Registration Link in order to register. *Registration will close on October 1st, 2024.  

Club Fees

• There is going to be a SO club fee of $100 per student + 2.2% (processing fee) for the entire 2024-25 school year. This fee will only be collected if a student is part of a team.

• The club registration fees cover all of the invitational and regional tournaments' registration fees and the club operational costs. If this club fee is unable to cover the club registration and operational fees, then more fees may be collected later. This club fee is nonrefundable.
• Each team's study and building materials are to be bought and paid for by the teams themselves as they see fit.
• Travel and accommodation are parents' responsibility.
• Payment is only accepted through PayPal.

Information Sharing & Important Dates

Season planning: https://www.soinc.org/play/tournaments

The events page contains pointers to all subject areas in B and C Divisions. Event information will also be published here.

Events and subject resources:2024-25 Event Table | Science Olympiad (soinc.org)

National Science Olympiad web page: https://www.soinc.org/

National Science Olympiad Season Planner: Not yet posted

National Science Olympiad Event Slate: Not yet posted

Science Olympiad rules manual: 2024-25 Rules | Science Olympiad (soinc.org)

Washington Science Olympiad: https://washingtonscienceolympiad.com/

How Science Olympiad Works at Evergreen

Team Composition

Head Team Coach

Each team is required to have at least one head team coach that will represent the team and coordinate with the EMS SO club chair on behalf of the team. Each team's head coach will lead the team and organize studying and preparation. 

Event Coaches 

Parents of the students of a team are expected to take on the role of Event coaches for one or more topics. It is the responsibility of the event coaches to ensure students are on track with preparations for their respective events. 

Time Commitment Expectations

Time commitment expectations vary from team to team. 

• 3 events could mean about a minimum of 5-10 hours per week, balanced between weekly event meetings, individual practice, team meetings etc. 
• We do not discourage students from participating in other activities, but we do require students to prioritize Science Olympiad in the event of schedule conflicts with other events. 
• Some of the SO invitationals/regional/state tournaments fall close to long weekends. Please keep that in mind when registering joining SO teams.
• Build events do require a substantial amount of time more than study events and this should be taken into consideration as well when choosing events. Students have to build and make many prototypes with various practices throughout the year.  

Team Formation

Team Formation Steps

• Any 6th - 8th grader current Evergreen Middle School Students.
  • Register here

  • Mr. Fraczek will be conducting a test of all the interested students and would rank them based on the marks scored by the students.

    • Starter pack study material will be available for students to prepare for the test soon.

    • Assignment to various teams would be done as follows:

      • Backfill any open positions in Team 2 (currently there are about 4 open spots in Team 2)
      • The next set of 15 students will form Team 3
      • The next set of 15 students will form Team 4 etc.
      • If any student decides to drop off from a team, the next ranked student in the list gets the opportunity to join that team
  • Teams come up with their own team's name. There will be temporary team names for intermediate team formation purposes only.

Additional Commitments

Head Team Coach(es)

• Schedule, Practice and Progress
  • Assign events to students ensuring no schedule conflicts
  • Collaborate with coaches for block schedule
  • Assist with Gather materials from SO website
  • Ensure dates (invitational and regional work for everyone on team).
  • Monitor progress of all events and resolve conflicts within teams. Ensure that all members are active and participating satisfactorily.
  • Providing question papers and materials whenever needed.
  • Help with brainstorming solutions for build events.
  • Resolve conflicts within the team. Maintain cordial relationship with all coaches.
  • Keep SO Student families apprised of challenges and accomplishments.
  • Encourage students to follow up with each other to keep student members honest.
  • Must inform SO club chair if a student drops out. Works with SO Club chair to backfill spots.
  • Take team Pictures and share.
  • Build positive team morale.
  • Have a conversation with student families who are not participating and create a plan.
• Invitational and Tournaments
• Collaborate with SO Chair for Block Schedule Sign up prior to every invitational and tournament.
• Be polite and professional to Regional Coordinator and Tournament Directors at all times, under any circumstance
• Under any circumstances NOT do anything to jeopardize the continuity of the program for future years for the school.
• Work with Tournament Director/SO Chair for each event.
• Work with all coaches in a unified way, when resolving issues with tournament/invitational director. Keep School Coordinator in loop.
• Maintain professional transparent communication at all times, helping school coaches.
• If so arranged, sign up for events for each tournament, promptly, a few days prior to each tournament.
• Handle and register disputes during Tournament.
• Educate Team parents on code of conduct during Invitationals and Tournaments.
• Coordinate Team Snacks during Tournaments (Optional)
• Create Team T-Shirt. (Optional)
• Help with sponsoring a team event for invitationals.
• Arrange snacks for the team for invitationals
• Finance
• Collect funds from team to share expenses. Manage team finances. 

Student Families (Parents & Students)

• SO takes management and coordination. Parent participation is required.
• Student families must participate in team meetings arranged by Head Team Coach(es).
• Parent must serve as the coach for the events student is participating and guide/mentor students for their events. Especially in the beginning.  Once students understand, they are eventually able to guide themselves on the next steps.
• Procure materials for building (from shops, or websites) to support event.
• Provide raw materials (like a binder, stationary) for students to maintain all their notes in a binder
• Provide study materials. Provide students access to a printer, computer and monitored internet access.
• Maintain a schedule of invitationals and Tournament dates and ensure no conflicts occur with family
• If a conflict occurs, inform coach, event partner, their families right away.
• Help students take practice tests to enhance learning.
• Note that at the time of SO Registration, Tournament site dates and Invitational dates are unknown. Families need to be flexible to accommodate SO Schedule and inform team coach if they can’t make it to Regionals at the earliest possible date.
• Role of Student:
  • Prepare well for the event. Read the syllabus provided by SO for your event
  • Attend all invitationals & tournaments
  • Schedule and Take practice tests regularly. Work on Build events and labs.
  • Ensure event is supported with sufficient practice.
  • Follow up on progress with teammates.

Q&A

Q: If our team doesn't have 15 people, can our team still register?

A: Ideally, a full team has 15 people, but even if there are 13-14 students in a team, the team can register. Even if there are 11-12 students on a team, you may register, but be aware that some students may leave the team in the middle, and this might overburden the remaining students with more events, and this might affect the performance of the team. So, please try and recruit students and build a full team of 15 students. 

Q: After I complete club registration, what is the next step?

A: After the entire SO club online registration closes, teams will be formed. Mr. Frazczek will conduct a test to determine the order of students to form teams.

Q: Right before I completed the payment step of registration, I received an email from the system that told me that I have registered for the club. Does this mean that my registration is completed even though I didn't finish payment?

A: No! This email is just sent out by the system and is triggered by completing the first few steps of registration. This DOES NOT mean that your registration is completed. You must complete the final step of payment.

Q: I am a parent and I want to be a head coach, but I do not have any experience in coaching. Am I qualified to be the head coach?

A: YES! The SO club will provide you with a coaching plan for the entire Science Olympiad Season. This plan will have everything you need and contains week by week practice plans for your use.

2024 - 25 SO Club registration

To register for SO Please click on the link below and follow the steps:
Start registration
Note: Till you have made the payment through, your registration is not complete.

A processing fee of 2.2% will be applied to the $100 charge.