Spelling Bee 2025-26 is in need of a parent volunteer to lead the club so that it can happen! Last year's leader will be happy to share her work and provide guidance as needed. 

Date reserved for Spelling Bee, assuming we can find someone to lead it: February 22, 2024

Last year's info is included below as an example of how it can work.

Welcome to The Blackwell Bee Hive! 

**Registration is closed! Come back next year!**

2022-2023

What’s all the buzz about?

Blackwell has enrolled in the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee program!

Blackwell is elevating the hive with spelling bee activities so that students can enlarge their vocabulary, improve their English skills and build their fundamental reading interests.

Participate by joining the Spelling Bee Club or practice on your own and at your own pace! Spelling Bee Club will be a fun way to elevate your child’s skill sets for spelling, thinking, studying, teamwork and public speaking.

How to register:

Register today! https://forms.gle/VjfgQVYtaUBG6J1m9

Registration is FREE. Registration CLOSES October 24th, 2022.

All Blackwell students are welcome to join, kindergarten through 5th grade.

Material will be released to registrants after signing up.

No late registrations will be accepted for club or competition participation.

Timeline:

Spelling Bee Club Sessions Start: November 1st, 4pm in the library

Preliminary Online Test: Jan 18th and 19th, 8:30-9:00am, 2023

Final School Competition: Mar 2nd, 6:30-8:30pm, 2023

Local Regional Spelling Bee: March 25th, 2023, hosted by Town Hall Seattle

National Spelling Bee: May 30th, 2023, in Maryland, for State champions competition

Volunteers needed:

Like any other enrichment programs, volunteers will be needed to keep the program running smoothly.

For every class we need at least one chaperone to check in and check out kids.

If a chaperone does not attend class on their assigned day, the class must be cancelled. Volunteer signup links will be sent out after registration.

How do you “Bee”?

No matter which way you’d like to engage, all registrants will have the same practice material!

1. Practice At Home:

• Start by downloading the FREE Word Club App: https://spellingbee.com/

“Word Club, the Bee's premier study app, is free to download and includes the 450 words on the 2023 School Spelling Bee Study List and all 4,000 words in Words of the Champions, the recommended study list for School Champions. Your child can choose from five spelling game modes and three word meaning game modes.”

• The wordlist will be sent out after registration:
  • Suggested 15-20 words a day!
• Read books from the Great Words, Great Works list https://spellingbee.com/sites/default/files/inline-files/2022-2023_Great_Words_Great_Works.pdf

2. Optional: Attend Spelling Bee Club Session Classes:

Time: Tuesdays 4-5pm, first meeting is November 1st

Location: Library

• Each class is 1 hour
• During the hour, here is what will happen:
  • Rules and Procedures
    • What questions can be asked (and what information the answers will provide)
    • What is expected when it is their turn
    • What happens when a word is spelled correctly/incorrectly
  • Study activities - Flash cards, Hangman, Spelling Bee game, Jeopardy, word search and crossword puzzles

3. Tournament:

• All Bee Hive participants will take the preliminary test online in January. At least 2 students from each grade qualify for the final school tournament.
• The top 20-30 students will compete in the final school tournament which will be held in person in late February. The school champion will be eligible for the local regional spelling bee competition on March 25th, 2023.

Q&A:

1. What if I miss the registration/ preliminary online test/final school competition deadline?

 We don’t accept late registration, and we cannot arrange alternative online testing or competition dates. Please come back next year!

2. How should I help my kid practice?

There are two ways: practice on your own or join the club. No matter which way you choose, all registrants have the same material to practice.

3. What does it mean to be the school champion? What should he or she do next?

According to the school competition, the final winner will be the school champion who is eligible to represent Blackwell at the regional Spelling Bee competition (in Seattle). His/her parents will get instructions about how to participate in the next level of competition.

4. How many classes will be included in a session of the Spelling Bee Club?

The number of classes available in a session will depend on the number of registrants. After the registration deadline, more detail will be released on PTSA website!

Have a question? Reach out to us anytime!

spellingbee@blackwellptsa.org

Join The Bee Hive today!