What is the difference between a Coach, Head Coach, and Supervisor?
A Supervisor defines the rules for an event, works with the WESO Board to stage, plan, and operate the event during the tournament.
A Head Coach is the primary contact for a school. He or she recruits coaches, organizes practices, and other logistical efforts on behalf of the school. A Head Coach can also be an event coach. Your school may have more than one Head Coach if you wish.
A Coach is a person, often a parent, who coaches a team of students for a specific event, such as iCompute or Barge Building. Events can have more than one Coach at a given school, and more than one school may share a Coach if they can arrange it. A parent may coach more than one event if he or she wishes.
I’m not sure if I know how to be an event coach. What are the best ways to engage students and present materials for an event?
Please watch our “How to Coach” video. It’s full of good advice and ideas to help you get the most of your practices.
Does WESO return written tests to students after the tournament?
Written tests will not be returned to schools. However, team scores, placements, and other statistics are sent to school Head Coaches after the tournament so teams can see how they performed.
How can I make arrangements for a student who has an accommodation need?
Please have the school Head Coach send an email to weso@wesoscience.org to let us know about the student’s accommodation need.
What are WESO’s sources of income, and how is that income spent?
WESO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and is a 100% volunteer organization from top to bottom.
Other than a nominal entry fee for each school, WESO offers materials, workshops, and the tournament itself free of charge to all participants. We rely on the generosity of our sponsors for monetary and in-kind donations to keep WESO running each year. Please visit our Sponsors or Donate pages for more info.
Can I donate to WESO?
Yes, you can! Please visit our Donate page.
How is the date for WESO chosen?
WESO is an independently-operated, non-profit organization dependent upon community partnerships for its viability and success. We have always relied upon local highschools to serve as the Olympiad Host Site. Understandably, school districts must wait until the internal academic year calendar is set before officially committing to an outside organization such as WESO. WESO posts the date of the Olympiad as soon as an official arrangement is confirmed.
Can my student compete in a grade higher than the grade in which she is enrolled?
Yes, as long as your school agrees to it, and it fits in your schedule. Please visit this page for more details.