San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee

Download a Printable Copy of the Participants Letter

The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is proud to support the 51st annual The San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee March 17, 2022, at the Town and Country San Diego in Mission Valley. The winner of the competition will be awarded the title of The San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee Champion. The winner will compete in the national championship in May at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington D.C.

We know the past school year presented challenges for you and your students to participate in the competition. We are happy to share the following options to conduct your spelling bee program:

• In person at a traditional spelling bee event
• Virtually through a video conference platform like Zoom or Google Meet
• Virtually via online tests using the bee’s online testing platform

All public and private schools with a combined 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade enrollment of 30 or more students are invited to participate. Further details of the countywide competition will be announced here as they are available, as well as on The San Diego Union-Tribune website.

A school must be registered with Scripps and have paid its materials and enrollment fee by Dec. 31, 2021 in order for its student to participate in the countywide bee. See registration details below or visit the Scripps website. Your school spelling bee must take place prior to Feb. 1, 2022 with your student winner identified on the Scripps National Spelling Bee website by Feb. 1, 2022.

To register with the Scripps National Spelling Bee:

• Go to www.spellingbee.com and follow the instructions for registering.
• Pay the $175 materials and enrollment fee by choosing a payment option. A $7.50 per invoice check-handling fee will be applied to the enrollment fee when paying by check. Purchase orders are not accepted.
• If paying by check, mail the bottom portion of the enrollment-by-check invoice along with your check. You will be able to print a copy of your enrollment-by-check invoice during the online enrollment process.

After you enroll and payment is received by Scripps, you will receive exclusive online access to:

• Word lists and study lists organized by grade level
• The 2022 Classroom Pronouncer Guide for administering classroom spelling bees
• The 2022 School Pronouncer Guide for administering a school spelling bee
• Access to the bee’s online testing platform
• Words of the Champions, the 4,000-word study resource for your school spelling bee champion
• The Great Words, Great Works reading list with all source books for the School Spelling Bee Study List, organized by grade level
• Supplemental word meaning materials for classroom and school levels
• Award certificates for participants and your school champion

We hope that your school will continue your spelling bee program. Enroll with the Scripps National Spelling Bee to ensure the participation of your school’s champion in The San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee and the chance to compete on the national stage.

If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Shina at 858-295-6627 or nshina@sdcoe.net.

Download a Printable Copy of the Scripps Online Testing Platform Instruction

In September, the Bee launched a new online testing platform for enrolled schools. The same tool became available to local sponsors in October. The online testing platform gives teachers and sponsors maximum flexibility in the administration of local spelling bee programs.

As teachers deliver classroom instruction, manage remote learning or a combination of the two, they can offer a traditional oral spelling bee or administer an online spelling and/or vocabulary test, which students can take on any device with a web browser, at school or from home. The new platform, included with sponsorship and school enrollment, ensures schools and sponsors can host competitions and name champions under any foreseeable circumstances.

Schools may use the new platform to:

• Conduct classroom- or grade-level competitions with online tests.
• Administer a spelling test in place of the traditional oral spelling bee, declaring a school champion without holding an in-person event.

Schools are not required to use the online testing platform. If public health guidelines and local government regulations in the school’s area allow for in-person events, the school may conduct a traditional spelling bee.

Sponsors may use the new platform to:

• Conduct up to three levels of online testing in place of traditional oral spelling bees, including their Final Local Bee.
• Declare a regional champion without an in-person, oral competition.
• Narrow down the number of competitors who will advance to a sponsor’s Final Local Bee.

Sponsors have the flexibility to use a combination of online testing and traditional oral spelling if local government regulations in the sponsor’s area allow for in-person events.

At both the school and sponsor levels, the online testing platform will enable bee coordinators to:

• Specify an all-spelling test, an all-vocabulary test or a combination.
• Select the type of spelling questions: multiple-choice or type-in. (Vocabulary questions are always multiple-choice.)
• Specify whether they want all studied words (words found on the 2021 study lists) or a combination of studied words and additional, “unstudied” words.
• Specify a time limit for the test, if desired.
• Specify the number of students advancing to the next level of competition.
• Set start and end dates for when the test is available to students.
• Determine if they want students to receive instant results showing the number of correct responses.

NOTE: The platform will provide all test questions. Schools and sponsors do not create questions. During all tests, spellers will hear the words pronounced by Scripps National Spelling Bee Pronouncer Dr. Jacques Bailly.

Additional details:

• The Bee will provide both schools and sponsors with training materials for the online testing platform, including written instructions and how-to videos.
• Schools and sponsors may contact the Bee for assistance with using the new platform via spellingbee.com/contact.

Do you have an interesting story about making it to the bee? Have a family tree full of spelling bee competitors? We want to hear it! Share the stories that bring the bee to life.