[cjml rules and policies] The purpose of the CJML is to provide elementary school students in the Chicago Public Schools with the opportunity to use and engage their mathematical problem solving skills in a competition setting, while recognizing outstanding mathematical achievement. Students who participate in math competitions are stimulated and challenged to further their studies of mathematics. They also acquire the preparation and experience needed for continued success in high school mathematics courses and competitions. A. Competition 1. Tests are available in the following categories: 6th grade – Individual 7th grade – Individual 8th grade – Individual Team contest (4 students) Relay contest (4 students) 2-person contest Countdown round 2. For the individual contests, students compete at the grade level in which they are currently enrolled. A younger student may compete at a higher grade level; for example, a 7th grader may compete at the 8th grade level. Students as young as the 5th or 6th grades may compete at the 7th or 8th grade level. An older student may not compete at a lower grade level, so no 8th graders may compete at the 7th grade level. 3. Student selection is made at the discretion of the school’s coach(es). All members of a team must attend the school for which they are competing. 4. A grade level team consists of a minimum of 4 students. 5. Each school may register a maximum of 30 students, 10 per grade level. For each grade level, six students are designated as contestants and the rest are alternates. Any school that wishes to bring more than 20 students should contact the league directors, as additional alternates may compete if space permits. 6. A school does not need a full team to compete. Schools that bring fewer than eight students to any contest are welcome to compete and are still eligible for awards. 7. All students are eligible to compete in team rounds. A 4-person team (power or relay) may consist of at most two 8th graders. Schools may designate two 4-person teams, Team A and Team B (named as such for record keeping purposes), as contestant teams. Schools may also designate at most three 4-person teams as alternates. A two person team may consist of at most one 8th grader. 8. Coaches must designate alternates BEFORE the start of the exams. Alternates’ scores will not be used in team scores but alternates are eligible to win individual awards. Schools with large numbers of alternates are asked to bring sufficient staff to aid in the grading, proctoring, and administration of the contest. A minimum of two adults should accompany all teams. 9. Individual and team participants may vary from contest to contest. 10. Calculators are permitted on certain parts of the competition (please check the contest schedule for more details). Students may bring more than one calculator if they wish but will only be allowed to use one desk during the competition. Not all calculators are acceptable. The following calculators will not be permitted: calculators using CAS (TI-89, TI-Nspire CAS, HP 50g, etc.), calculators with a QWERTY keyboard, calculators that are part of a cellular phone or PDA, calculators that require an electrical outlet, calculators that make sounds (may be disabled), calculators that print on paper tape (may be disabled). If you have a question about calculators please contact the league directors. 11. Students are expected to behave with integrity and true team spirit. Coaches are expected to hold the highest standards of professional ethics. 12. The site coordinator may determine when individual behavior falls below expected standards. Such behavior may result in withholding of any awards and possible exclusion from any future competitions. This refers to behavior beyond the bounds of courtesy and good sportsmanship. Any such action may be appealed in writing within five days to the directors. B. Contest Questions and Scoring 1. Registration for each contest will begin at 9:30 AM. The contests should begin at 10:00 AM and should end at about 1:00 PM. Please check the contest schedule for more details about each contest, as contest formats will vary between the three dates. An awards ceremony will take place after all tests have been graded and scores have been recorded. 2. Scoring will take place after the tests but student answer sheets will only be returned to the school coach. 3. All information requested on the answer sheets must be completed by the student; incomplete identifying information may result in disqualification of the individual student. 4. Topics covered on each test are based in part on the Chicago Board of Education, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics guidelines. 5. The topics covered on each test are listed for each contest. 6. With the diversity of schools and students within the system, the best guides for contest preparation are the resources within the individual school and community. Although some of the contest topics may be considered enrichment topics, materials pertaining to all topics can be found in most middle grade mathematics textbooks and in the high school level Algebra I curriculum. Please contact the league directors to obtain contest-specific practice materials and additional resources. 7. Contest 2 will include a Countdown Round; this is a demonstration round that will not count towards the school score. The contestants will include the top twenty scorers from the two individual rounds. Contestants will be grouped at random into four groups of five; each group of five will then participate in a five minute buzzer round. The top two scores from each of the four preliminary rounds will move on to the semifinals, as will the two highest scores from the remaining twelve contestants. Again, contestants will be grouped at random into two groups of five; each group of five will then compete in a five minute buzzer round. The winners of the two semifinal rounds and the top three scores out of the remaining eight contestants will move on to a final buzzer round. After five minutes, score will be tallied and the top three scorers will receive awards. 8. APPEALS: Any disputed problems or solutions should be brought to the attention of the judges within thirty minutes of the end of that contest. Only students or coaches may be involved in making appeals to the judging room. C. Awards 1. Contests 1 and 2 Medals will be awarded for the top five students in each category. Ties will be broken when possible. Two or more students who have the same score will have the tie broken by the five tie-breakers indicated by the contest writers. If the tie cannot be broken after the five tie-breakers have been examined, then the students remain tied and both will receive the appropriate award. Medals will also be awarded to the top 6-person teams in each area of competition: 7th grade individual and 8th grade individual. Medals will be awarded to the top five 4-person teams in the team (power) round as well. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in the countdown round, although their scores will not count towards their school totals. 2. Contest 3 Like the previous two contests, ties will be broken when possible. The top five teams from each of the following categories will receive awards: 6-person 7th grade individual, 6-person 8th grade individual, 4-person power team, 4-person relay team, 2-person team. The top five schools based on the total team score for the day will also receive awards Cumulative awards will also be awarded to the top five 7th grade and 8th grade individual students based on the total score from all three contests, as well as the top five schools based on their overall scores over all three contests. D. Future Considerations for the 2011-2012 school year Based on the overall results from the three 2010-2011 contests, consideration will be given towards dividing the schools into divisions, so that schools may compete with other comparable schools and any given school does not find itself at a disadvantage. Awards will then be distributed according to the results within each division. |