One-stop-shop for debate coaches new and experienced looking for information on this year’s debates.

What is Slack? – Slack is a messaging program designed for use in the workplace, as it can help colleagues keep in touch, plan schedules, share documents and files, and stay connected. We use Slack to communicate with other coaches in the NDA community and to coordinate tournaments.

1. Go to the slack website by clicking the link to start an account.  https://slack.com/get-started#/createDownload the app on your computer and/or phone. – https://slack.com/downloads/
2. Once you have an account you need to request access to the NDA Workspace. To request an invite please email contract@newarkdebateacademy.org using the email address you used to create the Slack account.guide on getting started- https://slack.com/help/articles/218080037-Getting-started-for-new-members4. After you are admitted to the NDA Workspace add yourself to the appropriate channels for your school or program. Guide on how to join channels – 205239967-Join-a-channelFor example all Elementary or middle school coaches should be added to the #emsrandom channel and all new coaches should add the #newcoaches channel. You will also have a dedicated channel for your school that will be #(YOUR SCHOOL NAME).5. Check slack daily for information from the NDA and use it frequently to communicate with us or your fellow coaches.

The Newark Debate Academy is here to support you! We offer individual appointments for all our coaches to help with anything debate related. If you wish to schedule a meeting with a member of the NDA please send your requests to your school’s slack channel.

New Coaches: We highly recommend you take advantage of our individual meetings with our staff members particularly if you are new to debate as an activity.

We host all of our tournaments and process all registrations using the National Speech and Debate Association website www.tabroom.com.

IMPORTANT: All coaches and students must “Sign Up” for their own tabroom.com account. Do not hesitate to schedule a meeting with a staff member if you need assistance with creating tabroom accounts for yourself or your students.

All of our tournaments for the 2020-2021 season will take place remotely. We are currently using the NSDA Campus platform offered by tabroom to connect our students for competition. NSDA Campus is similar to Webex but works directly with tabroom.com.

Please have all your students test their connection to the NSDA Campus platform by having them try the test link in advance of their first tournament.

NSDA Campus Test Link – https://campus.speechanddebate.org

Current Topics as of April 2021

EMS Debate: “Resolved: The United States federal government should eliminate federal mandatory minimum sentences and apply the changes to those currently incarcerated.”

HS Debate: “Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing.”