FBLA

TO: District 19 FBLA Chapters

FROM: Susan Rucker, District 19 Lead Chapter Adviser

DATE: November 19, 2010

SUBJECT: 2011 DISTRICT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

We are working hard to prepare for the 2011 District 19 Leadership Conference. The conference will be February 22, 2011 at Northcentral Missouri College (NCMC) in Trenton, Missouri starting at 9:00 a.m. I have created a website for DLC 2011 so there is a central location for all of our information. I hope it helps, it is http://tinaavalon.k12.mo.us/Rucker/fbla_d19_contest_2011/fbla_district_19/FBLA_District_19.html .

The link for additional information for district, state and national competition is http://www.fbla-pbl.org/web/page/589/sectionid/587/pagelevel/2/fbla.asp .

As per District vote 2010, your registration fee is $30 per chapter then the actual cost of online testing fees per person. That is, $3 for 1st test and $1.50 each test after-per person.  If a member competes but doesn’t attend the fee still needs to be paid.  If the member attends but doesn’t compete then the chapter fee covers them.  If there are members competing but no one attends conference (from their school) then the fee is $50 for the chapter instead of $30.  Checks for registration and online testing should be made payable to the District 19 FBLA Contest. Mail to the Tina-Avalon R-2 School, Attention Susan Rucker, 11896 Hwy 64, Tina, MO, 64682.  No purchase orders will be accepted.

District LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE INFORMATION

• Online registration will be from November 17, 2010 until December 22 at 5:00 pm. This includes all changes, drops, etc. Changes can only be made in emergency situations.
• We are continuing to use the MissouriFBLA website to post more and more information. Please consult www.missourifbla.org for district registration. Please read the directions on each page BEFORE you start to register your students. It will save everyone work if the directions are followed. More about registration follows in this memo. Again this year we have a “change” page on which you may submit your corrections or changes. Again, by reading the instructions and asking questions in advance, we hope to make registration a streamlined process. Remember, however that NO additional registrations or changes will be accepted after December 22 at 5:00 pm.

Please remember to use one form per student/adviser/guest. Do not submit multiple registration forms for each student. Duplicate entries are unnecessary and time-consuming to eliminate.

Take care to work as efficiently and accurately as possible as you register your students; changes, especially duplicates, are time consuming to correct.

Start with your list of students and begin with the first student on your list. Enter ALL their events, responsibilities, etc. on one form at one time. When you have completed the entries for that student, submit and then move on to student number two. If you will register students in this way, it will help to eliminate duplicate entries. Most of the duplicates occur when you start with the list of events and work from that as you may lose track of who has been entered. Register by student, not event.

• Changes can be submitted up until December 22 at 5:00 pm. Site administrators may make changes during the registration period as time allows; however it is possible that changes will not be made until after registration closes. You will need to check your total entry report to verify if the changes have been made. Be patient as you look for changes as once they are submitted, they will be made, they just may not be made immediately. It shouldn’t be necessary to submit a duplicate change form.
• Login information for DLC is mofbla and the password is adviser. Remember that both are case sensitive.
• Advisers have a form to complete in addition to the registration form. We need this information from each school.
• Mail any checks to the Tina-Avalon R-2 School, Attention Susan Rucker, 11896 Hwy 64, Tina, MO, 64682. The address is available on the online form as well as being provided here. Checks should still be made payable to District 19 FBLA Contest.
• The Missouri Dress Code was revised in 2009. Please familiarize yourself and your students with the requirements for proper attire at the conference. It is important to note that the National Dress Code applies to national events, not to state events. We will follow the Missouri Dress Code. The Missouri dress code is posted at http://www.dese.mo.gov/divcareered/fbla_dress_code.htm as well as on the MissouriFBLA website.

• District conference registration fee is $30 per chapter if you are in attendance and help, $50 per chapter if you compete but do not attend. All adults will be considered in the registration fee if they are attending conference functions. Advisers will need to complete the Payment Form once all of their registration forms are complete.
• We will be doing on line registration for SLC again this year. www.missourifbla.org is the website. All participants must be pre-registered and NO onsite registrations will be accepted. Students who are qualified for an SLC event must be registered for the appropriate event online BY MARCH 11 at 5:00 pm; no paper registrations will be considered valid. Again, read the directions and ask questions before you start to enter your students. Login information is mofbla and password is adviser. Both are case sensitive.

COMPETITIVE EVENTS

• Please review the competitive event policies on pages C5 and C6 of the Missouri Chapter Management Handbook. There several new event this year. If you have questions about events, the Missouri Chapter Management Handbook should be your first choice for information.
• Online testing will be done for all of the written events. Students who take online tests must still register for DLC. Students who take online tests are not required to attend the DLC but are highly encouraged to do so. If there are members competing but no one attends conference (from their school) then the fee is $50 for the chapter instead of $30. 
• Online testing will be done prior to the conference at the students’ school sites. The dates for online testing will be January 25, 2011 through February 11, 2011
• . Passwords and instructions will be emailed to the advisers of registered students prior to the testing window to the email address that you have previously provided to your LCA. If you have trouble receiving attachments at your school email, make sure I have an alternative address for you.
• All district skill events will be administered at the local level prior to the district conference. The district skill events will be emailed to the district winners’ home school. School skill testing will be done January 16 to January 28. They must be mailed or received back February 1, 2011.
• If an FBLA member attending DLC has a special need, please contact me in advance so their needs can be met.

District OFFICE CANDIDATES

• If a member of your chapter plans to run for a district office, he/she will need to be registered as a candidate when registering for contest. When campaigning, candidates are limited to one poster and one handout (ex. business card or flyer). There are not to be any items or tokens given away. This is to help save on expense for the chapters.
• Voting delegates have an important role in selecting our district officers. Chapters with 1-50 members get two delegates and those over 50 get 3 delegates

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE

· Double check your local membership roster with the online national dues roster to be sure that conference participants are included and show as having paid dues.

· Review competitive event guidelines with all participants.

· Inform all participants of FBLA dress code and curfew. All participants (members and advisers) must follow the Missouri dress code.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

· The state chapter would like to recognize local chapter advisers who are retiring at the end of the school year. If you know of an adviser who is retiring or if you are retiring, please call or e-mail the state office by March 11.

· Missouri FBLA membership continues to Break Barriers! We are currently the second largest state chapter in the nation. Congratulations!

If you have any questions concerning district conference activities, please email me at srucker@tinaavalon.k12.mo.us or call me at 660-622-4211.

Sponsoring a co-curricular activity is often a thankless job but your hard work and dedication to the students you advise does not go unappreciated. Your efforts positively influence the lives of students who will one day be the leaders of our country.

I sincerely thank you for all you do for kids!