March 25, 2022
This newsletter contains news and information of interest to Montana Science Olympiad coaches - current, past and future! For questions, please contact the MSU Science Math Resource Center.
Important announcements for coaches
SCILYMPIAD
We are using the Scilympiad software for back-end scoring during our tournament but NOT for registering students into their events (like we did last year in the virtual tournament).
  • You and assistant coaches should make an account in Scilympiad.
  • You do NOT need to enter your student competitors' information.
  • You do NOT need to register your team for specific events or assign students to specific events
  • The only thing you need to do is make your coach account.

Make your coach account at: https://scilympiad.com/mt (If you already have an account from last year's virtual tournament, please make sure you can still access it.)


CODE OF ETHICS and Parent Consent
online form due for each student by April 14
All student competitors must sign a Code of Ethics prior to competing, as well as get a signature for parent consent (or coach consent). This form is online in the Coaches and Teams section of our MTSO Website. The form also includes an optional student survey that will help us improve the event for all participants. All forms are due by April 14. Please share this link with all student competitors. https://bit.ly/mtso-code22

(At the last in-person tournament, this was a paper document; it is now online)


HOTEL BLOCKS are expiring soon!
If you need information about special rates for hotel blocks in Bozeman, please contact Ehsan Salam by March 30. Ehsan.salam@montana.edu


Tournament Day Schedule
Here is the outline for the day. For those of you who have participated in the past, this is the same as previous live tournaments. Soon we will have the detailed schedule of all the events and locations so you can check ahead of time for any conflicts.

  • 7am - Registration desk open outside SUB Ballrooms (Strand Union Building)
  • 7:45 - Opening ceremony (SUB Ballrooms)
  • 8:15 - Impound opens
  • 8:30 - 12:30 Four tournament event blocks (50-minute blocks at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30)
  • 1pm - 2pm: Talks & Tours (optional) Visit MSU labs and classrooms or tour campus or our brand new American Indian Hall! (Registration required; options coming soon)
  • 2:30 - 4pm: Awards ceremony
Check out who will be at Museum of the Rockies STEM Night April 14
In addition to amazing exhibits from the Museum of the Rockies plus stupendous STEM from MSU, you will also meet Montana Science Center, ZooMontana, the American Computer and Robotics Museum, and Montana Learning Center! So fun!

All teams who attend the Montana state tournament are invited to attend STEM Night at Museum of the Rockies on the evening before the tournament: Thursday, April 14 from 6pm to 9pm. This event is FREE and features hands-on activities and demonstrations, plus the opportunity to see all the great exhibits at MOR! Coaches, register your team here.
NEW: Exciting opportunity for SciOly coaches on tournament day! Win an mBot Ranger programmable robotics kit!
The Montana Learning Center, a long-time support of Montana Science Olympiad has donated two Makeblock mBot Ranger programmable robotics kits. One Division B coach and one Division C coach will win one for your school! Enter your name when you get to MSU for the tournament. Thank you, MLC!
More STEM opportunities
Last chance: Neuroscience workshop on Saturday, March 26
Free online educator PD from the Science Math Resource Center
For grade 6-12 educators: Come learn about the brain and education! In honor of Brain Awareness Month, Saturday, March 26 from 8:30-11:00am we will have guest speakers talk about the brain and cellular functioning and what we can learn from neuroscience to apply in our classrooms. The workshop focuses on brain function, neuromyths in the classroom, neurodiversity and neuroeducation. We will hear about MSU research that we can bring into our curriculum and neurodiversity and neuroeducation.

It is designed primarily for science teachers, but may also be of interest to psychology, special education or school administrators, so please share with your peers.



Earn OPI renewal units
National opportunity for Division C competitors
Great scientists have to be great communicators. The Eye on the Future Video Contest, sponsored by the National Eye Institute, is a fantastic way to practice your science communication skills for a chance to win $2,000 and a trip to the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, MD! 

Create a 30 second to 3 minute video by yourself or with a couple friends that addresses one of the contest prompts. 

Fill out the registration and release forms on the informational page, record your video, and submit! 

Video submissions are due Friday, April 8, 2022

Do you know an aspiring Science Olympiad coach or STEM teacher interested in cool opportunities? Please share this newsletter so they can follow along for next year! Or, they can subscribe at bit.ly/mtso-news