September
School starts and chapters can be formed. Check the Chapter Affiliation page for more information.
October
- TSA Registration opens. Chapters need 10 students to register. Costs are divided among the state and national organization. At this time, check to see if your school charges students for membership in an organization or club. If so, add that to the TSA costs.
- Hold a meeting and form your chapter. Each chapter should have officers and hold regular meetings to decide on fundraisers, purchases, etc.
- Start to meet and formulate event teams. Set regular meeting times to work on events.
- Advisors should start to attend regional meetings to set up and coordinate the regional conference. To find your regional coordinator, visit the web page for your region.
November
- Advisors should attend regional meetings to set up and coordinate the regional conference. At this time, a list of events held at regionals will be decided and shared among advisors in the region. All qualifying events will be held at the regional conference.
- Students will continue to work on events.
December
- Chapters register for the regional conference through iServices (iservices.patsa.org). Each student registered will be charged fee for participating.
- Advisors should attend regional meetings to set up and coordinate the regional conference.
January and February
- Regional conferences will be held in January and February. All Chapters should be working towards this competition. iServices will be open until the registration deadline, which is usually two weeks prior to the regional conference.
- Advisors should plan to attend all meetings leading up to the regional conference. Planning and setting up the conference should be a regional effort, not left to one school or chapter.
- Advisors should have a check from their district to pay their chapter cost prior to or at the regional conference.
- Advisors should arrange for transportation to the regional conference site. Students and advisors should plan to help with the clean-up after the regional conference.
- Advisors should attend a regional wrap-up meeting (planning purposes for states).
After Regionals: February and March
After the regional conference, advisors should start planning for the PATSA State Conference to be held at Seven Springs. The State Conference is usually about 6 weeks after the regional conference. Details may be found on the State Conference web page.
- Book the hotel. As quickly as possible after the Regional Conference, decide which students are going to states and get a commitment from the students and parents for attendance.
- Download and complete the rooming list (found on the State Conference web page) and fax it to Seven Springs along with a purchase order or credit card to hold the rooms. Any cancellation or changes to rooming will put your school at the back of the line again.
- Make a check payable to the hotel for the total amount and bring it to states. Pay when checking in.
- Checks include room and food for the three-day state conference.
- Start online registration in iServices as soon as registration opens.
- In online registration, add student, grade, M/F, and t-shirt size.
- Select individual events for each students and then team events.
- Record the team âletterâ for each team (members must know their team letter).
- Update all advisor information.
- Go to cost/bill page and record the total cost.
- Make checks payable to PATSA.
Preparation for the State Conference
- Several weeks before the State Conference, students should be working to complete their events.
- Advisors should collect all money necessary to attend and have contact with parents about the expectations of students.
- All code of conduct and medical forms should be completed and held by the advisor at all times during the conference.
- See the state conference web page for details about the conference.
Attending the State Conference at Seven Springs
Arrival
- Upon arriving at the Seven Springs Resort, go to the lobby and check in. Make sure you have a check payable to Seven Springs. The hotel clerk will have you assigned to rooms or the Chalets and will ask you to check and make sure the student data is accurate. They will also give you meal tickets for your students.
- Check into your rooms. Make sure the students assigned to a specific room are in the room. If not, change it on your roster.
- Conference registration is usually at 6:30 PM in Exhibit Hall. Pick up all attendee registration lanyards, IDs, conference booklets and t-shirts. At that time, the advisor(s) must also sign up for a security shift.
Check-in for competitive events
- Check the schedule of events and make sure each individual student and team checks in for their events. Event check-in times are strictly enforced, as well as testing for specific events.
Events
- Students must check the dress code for each event. Points will be deducted for inappropriate dress.
- Students need to have their ID to check into an event.
- Students are expected to check in at event sites on time and should check with the coordinator if they have a time conflict.
- Students should have everything necessary to compete in the registered event. Check the regulations for each event to insure that all materials are present. Some events do not supply materials.
Voting Delegates
- Two students from each chapter should be designated as voting delegates. These students should attend the candidate speeches as well as the business meeting. Chapter advisors may switch out students if there is an event conflict.