Academic+Decathlon+News

= 2012-2013 Topic is "Russia" =

Permission slip for state competition:



Instructions for state competition:



State Competition Interview form:



Photos from HSQS SUPER SUNDAY (Nov. 4) and AcaDec Regionals (Nov. 17). The AcaDec team made the State Finals for the second year in a row! FINE JOB!! BEFORE: The "official" team picture from WGBH for HSQS Super Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012.

AFTER the Quiz Round, with our quizzers and Headmaster Rozmiarek.

Andrew Kelley wins SILVER in Math, Varsity Division, Academic Decathlon Regional Competition, Milford High School, Nov. 17, 2012.



LHS Academic Decathlon Regionals at Milford High: L - R, Andrew Kelley, Michelle Mailloux, Vickey Nguyen (with Little Leo, team mascot), Katie Anderson, Daniela Deny, Amanda Rosa, Justyn Nguyen, Ibrahim Nizami, Ashley Mountry, and Paulina Preap.


 * November 16, 2012**


 * TOMORROW is the day. Please see the .pdfs below if you did not get them at the meeting earlier today.**


 * I'll see you bright and early.**






 * November 13, 2012 **

I have the following eleven students having expressed interest in Saturday:

Katie Anderson Daniela Deny Sim Dy Andrew Kelley Michelle Mailloux-Furman Ashley Mountry Vickey Ngo Justin Nguyen Ibrahim Faiz Nizami Paulina Praep Amanda Rosa

Let me know ASAP if there is anyone else or if anyone on that list is NOT going on Saturday.

Of the eleven above, I have field trip permission forms only from:

Anderson, Dy, Ngo, Nizami, and Praep

I need them tomorrow if possible, Thursday at the latest.

I will fix the team tomorrow. We will have three alternates if all eleven attend. (The most we can have on the competing team is eight of the nine seats; we will have one varsity seat vacant, since we do not have enough varsity competitors.) Alternates will take the tests, too, but in a different room. This experience is critical: if we move onto the state competition, you will need this experience, especially if you need to move into one of the competition spots - not to mention experience for next year.

We will meet Friday after school for one last prep meeting. Please look at the study guide for the calculator policy. On Saturday you will need to bring two #2 pencils (minimum) and a USAD-approved calculator. It's also wise to bring water, study materials, and the music on an MP3 if you have it. Students study between rounds.

We will leave on Saturday at 6:45 a.m. sharp from in front of the high school. Make sure that you have made this clear to whomever is bringing you on Saturday morning. We should be back around 5:30 p.m. It will be a long day. Academic Decathlon will supply breakfast, drinks, and snacks. Lunch will be pizza. It has been covered.

Vickey - make sure you get Leo sometime soon, so that he's not left behind. You will be the OinCofLL* this year.

Regards,

RD


 * Officer in Charge of Little Leo


 * 24 October 2012:**

As mentioned in the announcement today at school, I need to get an accurate count of who is interested in the Nov. 17 meet. Please let me know by Friday.

//Language and Literature Assignments// (please create a study sheet for the piece that you have been assigned):
 * 19 October 2012:**


 * Aleksandr Pushkin, "Autumn" - Michelle, Monique, Ibrahim, Sim
 * Tolstoy, "After the Dance'" - Andrew, Prohours, Daniela, Paulina, Katrina
 * Chekhov, "Lady with a Dog" - Rachel, Kim, Justin, Emily M., Vickey, Cheyenne
 * Blok, "On the Field of Kulikovo" - Julia, Emily S., Amanda, Ashley

We will go over Zhivago together. Each of you should be reading through the text.

==**28 Sept. 2012:** NEXT MONDAY'S MEETING POSTPONED! **Next Monday's meeting (Oct. 1) will be postponed to Wednesday (Oct. 3). I have a meeting at UMass Boston/JFK Library at 4:00 p.m. and cannot stay after school. Please spread the word!**== Also: The super quiz format has been changed. It now will include material from all the other subjects except for math and music. Therefore, each team member must have at least a decent knowledge of all subjects, even if you are still only going in depth on two or three.

//Music Assignments// (please create a study sheet for the piece that you have been assigned):
 * 24 Sept 2012: We are beginning with "Music."**


 * "The Day was Breaking" - Ibrahim
 * "Akh Ty Step'" - Prohours
 * Glinka "The Glory Chorus" - Rachel, Kim
 * Glinka //Kamarinskaya// - Julia
 * Borodin 2nd Symphony - Monique
 * Mussorgsky Boris' Death Scene - Michelle
 * Rimsky-Korsakov //Sheherazade// - Daniela
 * Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony - Paulina
 * Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony - Justin, Emily M.
 * Scriabin, //Prometheus// - Sim
 * Stravinsky, //Petrushka// - Emily S.
 * Mosolov //The Iron Foundry// - Amanda
 * Prokof'ev //Romeo and Juliet// - Ashley
 * Shostakovich 7th Symphony //-// Katrina, Cheyenne
 * Ustvolskaya Octet - Vickey
 * Schnittke Concerto Gross no. 1 - Andrew

= 2011-2012 "The Age of Empire" =


 * [03/13/12; Robert DeLossa]:**

Photos are available at:

2012 Academic Decathlon State Finals: LHS


 * [01/28/12; Robert DeLossa]:**

Okaydoke, folks. Contact me through the message mechanism and let me know your commitment for Landry or States. Please pass the word that people should be e-mailing me at rdelossa@lowell.k12.ma.us or through FB about their commitment to the competitions. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY to this post. Send me a private message instead. Cheers, RD


 * Landry Invitational (for those not participating on the State final team): Feb. 4 (Sat.) at North Reading HS**
 * State Final: March 3 (Sat.) at Westwood HS**


 * Recent Information from the Facebook Feed (excerpts):**


 * [01/12/12; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
Okay. A couple of things. First, final exams have priority over AcDec prep. Sad, but true. If you feel pressed for time, make sure that you are doing what you need for your course work and catch up with AcDec after finals. ======

Second, I just got the lay of the land from the Landry Invitational and State coordinators. First, anyone who is on the state finals team cannot compete at the Landry Invitational. The team for the finals can be different than what we had in regionals, but we still have to have all nine spots filled according to Academic Decathlon GPA rules, same as at regionals. We'll talk more about this after finals. We'll have to figure out the state finals team first, then anyone who is not on that team can compete for medals at the Landry Invitational. Conversely, if you compete at the Landry Invitational, you become ineligible for states in March. As I explained to Boris earlier today, we've never been in this position, so this wasn't something we knew. No we know why Acton-Boxborough has never been at the Landry...

=
Finally, good luck with your finals preparation. Good luck to the seniors who are finishing up college applications - you're almost there. If there are any questions, feel free to post. I'll put this and the previous posts on wikispaces. Please pass the information onto those not in Facebook land. ======

**[01/11/12; Monique Menezes]:**

Okay so when you open to the table of contents of of your art packet, you should see 18 different selected works. Please pick the one you'd like to outline. Post it in the comments below so we avoid repeats. Next Tuesday we will be going over art fundamentals and beginning 5 minute presentations on each of the selected works. Also please consider taking on two works if you can because otherwise we might not get it done. It's work, I know but as Mr. DeLossa said today, we really have to get in the full swing of things. The Landry Invitational is less than a month away. We want to do well at states, don't we? So, let's get to work.

I'll take Lidded SaltCellar, Sapi- Portuguese and The Sleep of Reason produces monsters


 * [01/05/12; Robert DeLossa]:**

I just got a message from the state Coordinator that the finals are on March 3. Please mark your calendars. They also lost their host school and are looking for a last minute replacement. Could it be us? It would be a tremendous amount of extra work on top of preparing. Would we be up to it? (I'm asking as a serious thought question. I'm not sure.) Let me know your thoughts.

Happy New Year. We're going to hold off meeting until next week. Not everyone picked up the materials before the break and I suspect most of us will not be ready for a full day plus another hour... If you haven't gotten the materials, please come get them. I'd like to assign specific works of art for reports and note sheets next week, if we all think that would be okay.
 * [01/02/12; Robert DeLossa]:**


 * [11/21/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

Also, feel free to share the slide show with your parents, so they see what you were up to. You should be proud. Don't forget that we have a meeting tomorrow. It's important that everyone comes. Going to the state finals means a new set of responsibilities. If you know anyone in the group who is not on Facebook, please pass on the word. Also, don't forget Little Leo...


 * [11/20/11; Boris Stanchev]:**

Now that we got states in March, we need to set our sights at dethroning Acton Boxborough.


 * [11/20/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

For the results, look at:

@http://www.robertdelossa.net/lhs_teaching/academic-decathlon-november.html

Congratulations. Now we get to work...


 * [11/19/11; Monique Menezes]:**

No matter the results, I'd like to say today was great. I know everyone did their best. Congrats to Boris and Vickey for kicking butt and representing Lowell along with the rest of you. You guys gave up a perfectly good saturday and I think we all had a pretty good time too. The team got to bond more, especially with Little Leo and now we know what to expect when February comes rolling around. Thanks guys for a good day.


 * [11/18/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
I will bring breakfast muffins, cookies, a veggie platter for lunch, and sliced ham and turkey and cheese and deli rolls for sandwiches. Please bring a water bottle and a drink. We'll pool whatever else people bring to make sure everyone has enough energy to make it through the day. Please don't forget the calculator rule. You also need at least two #2 pencils and any study materials that you think might be useful (including the book). If you have any questions about regulations, they all are at www.usad.org. Also, if your parents ask, we'll be at Everett High School, as listed on the permission slip. If you have any other questions, drop a note here or send me an e-mail. ======

Rest well tonight! Happy Harvesting to those who are doing so; Happy Friday to all the rest.


 * [11/16/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

I'll check in with students tomorrow. If you don't have a permission slip, please stop by to get one. We'll coordinate food online. The roster I have so far is this:

1st Honors Vickey Ngo 2nd Honors Monique Menezes 3rd Honors Katrina Vigeant

1st Scholastic Urann Chan 2nd Scholastic Emily Sem 3rd Scholastic Anna Michelson (? pending confirmation)

1st Varsity Boris Stanchev 2nd Varsity Andrew Kelley 3rd Varsity Kelly Chan (? need confirmation)

Honors Alternates: Prohours Thang, Michelle Mailloux Scholastic Alternates: --- Varsity Alternates: ---

Since scores are cumulative, especially with the super quiz, it makes a big difference to have a full team. Competition groups are determined by the AcDec GPA formula. You can compete up, but not down. (Thus, Prohours and Michelle could only substitute in for the other Honors members, not in other groups; however, if we had varsity alternates, they could substitute into any group.)

We meet on Saturday at 7 a.m. in front of the 1980 building (where the main office is), outside, in front of the flag poles. The bus should be there by then. You'll need a calculator (get the approved calculator sheet from me if you don't already have it), several #2 pencils, and any study materials that you have. (It's a good idea to bring the music, too.) Also, as I mentioned below, they are providing no food this year, so try to bring something. If you are still interested in the potluck idea, post here or at wikispaces. A water bottle is a good idea.

Check in with me tomorrow if you have any specific questions.

Good night. - RD


 * [11/10/11; Natalia Czerwonka]:**

=
Hi guys, so my address is: 43 Gerson Terrace, Lowell MA. My street is basically across from cawley stadium, and my house is kind of a biege/peach color. The session is from 3 to 5, and there will be pizza! Bring your materials, questions, etc. Finally, if you think you can make it or are sure that you can, just comment on this post so i know how many people to expect. thanks!:) ======


 * [11/10/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
No test session on Saturday. The school is closed and the only place in Pollard Memorial Library that could house us is already in use. (I talked with the library staff today.) Therefore, we will have the study session on Sunday at Natalia's and then a full test session on Tuesday. I would also like to have another session either Wednesday and Thursday for non-test prep. Have a good long weekend. I'll see you early next week! - Mr. D ======


 * [11/9/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
I found out this afternoon that LHS will not be open this weekend, so we cannot have a practice session there. Does anyone have an idea of where else we can meet? Is Pollard Library a possibility? If we cannot come up with a place, I'll give the tests to Natalia tomorrow to use on Sunday. I think it's better, though, to separate the test and study sessions. ======


 * [11/9/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
http://www.robertdelossa.net/docs/AcDec/AcDecAshland21Nov2009.mov ======

You can watch a Quicktime slide show of our last November competition in Ashland in 2009.

 * [11/9/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

=
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Thinkers-Doll-Leonardo-Vinci/dp/B0017I8ZFQ ======

It's small, but it needs to be small to sit on the desk during Super Quiz.


 * [11/9/11; Monique J Menezes]:**

Hey guys, just was thinking about team stuff. Mr. DeLossa suggested bringing a mascot to the competition. Also I thought it would be nice if we got shirts, not necessarily for the competition but in general. So, please post any ideas, comments, thoughts or whatever.


 * [11/8/11; Monique Menezes]:**

By the way, I forgot to mention that if you are planning on attending the competition whether you are competing or not, you need to get a permission slip from Mr. DeLossa. Plus he needs to know how many of us are going. Also, reminder, Mr. DeLossa may be having a Saturday meeting in order to take the practice exams and Natalia is having a study session on Sunday.

We'll be doing the music practice test tomorrow (which requires me to play music for you to identify). I'd like to get as many people to practice as possible. Those who came to the practice on Saturday started doing the scrimmage tests. We'll continue doing those tomorrow. If the school will be open this coming Saturday, I'll hold another practice session then. Competition is on the 19th.
 * [11/7/11; Robert DeLossa]:**

All the best! - RD

Morning! I'd like to hold a practice on SATURDAY from 8:30 to 10:30. The building is open, so we'd be in my classroom. I know that some of you may have a conflict with the SATs. Therefore, I need three pieces of information from each of you: 1. Can you make the Saturday practice? 2. Do you intend to participate in the November competition (Nov. 19)? 3. If you are going on Nov. 19, do you want to compete for the team, or do you want to go as an alternate and complete the tests for a practice run and then compete for real in February? Thanks! - RD
 * [11/3/11; Robert DeLossa]:**


 * [10/26/11; Robert DeLossa]:** In answer to several questions: 1) Scrimmages will begin as soon as we "retrieve" the crew students into the general meetings. Will that be next week or the week after? 2) At this point it looks as if we have Urann for the first article and Anna Marie for section three. We need more people committing quickly to different sections if we are going to cover the whole of the super quiz. 3) I still have copies of the super quiz text and practice test in room 630. I will be away tomorrow (Thursday), but back on Friday. If you haven't picked up the text so far, come by on Friday. - Pax et bonum, RD

Update: today, people who attended the meeting received super quiz materials along with a practice test for the same subject. Since this is such an important section, Mr. DeLossa suggested that we each outline a part. It'll help us get through the material a lot faster. So please comment which section you can do. We need as much participation as possible. He will also be putting stuff up on his website: http://robertdelossa.wikispaces.com/Academic+Decathlon
 * [10/26/11; Monique J Menezes]:**

The topic for the 2011-2012 Academic Decathlon competition is "The Age of Empire." A description of the topic and subject outlines are available at the following link:

[]


 * MEETINGS for fall 2011 will be Tuesdays at 2:30 in room 630 and Thursdays at 7:20 a.m. in room 630. Please try to attend one or the other. There will be a competition/scrimmage system in place during November to determine members of the team and alternates. The first regional competition is the Saturday //before// Thanksgiving in November. This, traditionally, is the morning after junior Harvest.**

If you have any other questions, please contact me at rdelossa@lowell.k12.ma.us.