Dear Parents, Guardians and/or Relatives of MUN Students,

The students in Skyview's Model United Nations class, in response to the parent request at the Skyview Fall Open House that parents be given an opportunity to participate with their students in an MUN debate, have dutifully considered and accepted the challenge. By unanimous vote they are pleased to announce that they have chosen Tuesday, November 23nd as the evening for the MUN Invitational. The mock UN session roll call will begin promptly at 7:00 so we advise all to be present in the 500 wing by 6:45 PM.

Each student will be working with family members as a coalition either for or against the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Your student's attendance is required for this class and s/he has been given related information regarding the debate of the evening as well as the countries to represent. Your student will be responsible for being the leader for your family coalition and conduct related research with you. All of you may access whatever resources you believe would help present your respective country's position on the issue. Remember, you are not representing what you believe but what your assigned country believes.

Your student:
Your country coalition (each member of your team chooses one of the following countries to represent):

Country Family Member Representing this Country

Additional countries are available upon verification of additional delegate qualification.

Each participant will be called upon to offer a policy statement and a speech. Any participant delegate may also ask questions of other delegates. Your student will be required to deliver a policy statement and speech, though it will be up to you if you chose to or not. During the roll call you will have the opportunity to report your plans by stating one of the following:

The delegate from Norway respectfully reserves the right to speak on all issues.
or
The delegate from Norway requests the right to ask questions and vote but defers on the opportunity to deliver a speech.

If you choose the second option, any delegate may write you a note and ask to use your minutes to extend his/her speech time. If you know ahead of time which country you have agreed to give time to, you may state this at roll call by stating:
The delegate from Norway requests the right to ask questions and vote but defers our two-minute speech time to the delegate from Sweden.

As teacher, my roll will be to support all participants in the MUN protocol. This will be an instructive as well as competitive session. We are all learning and we may break from time to time to make sure we all understand the rules of parliamentary process and diplomatic expectation. Pages will be present to facilitate written communication between delegates.

In playing the role of UN ambassador from a specific country, we present ourselves as diplomats, wearing business attire. Those who have clothes specific to a country may wear traditional attire. Remember that all female representatives from a predominantly Moslem country must be covered with a scarf and long skirt, or similar.

The session will end with a roll call vote. Freshmen, representing non-aligned countries, will be among those to convince with your speeches, questions and statements to the floor. However, the larger your family contingent, the more votes you will be able to furnish for your coalition's position. The students representing the winning stance for or against the treaty will all be awarded 25 points of bonus credit.

I will be making phone contact with each family contingent to answer questions, offer support and give encouragement. Please don't hesitate to contact me through email or the school, 906-4349. I also have a web page connected to the Skyview High School Home Page (see Web Page at bottom of this page). There you will find additional information and updates.

If for any reason your student cannot attend:
Since this is a graded activity for your student, if for any reason your student cannot attend, please fill out and sign the form below, due by 11/23. I will make an alternative assignment for those students due by 11/30.

Thank you very much for your support of our students. We are looking forward to seeing you and having an exciting debate.

Sincerely,

Beverly Questad, Ph.D.
Skyview Model United Nations Teacher

C: J Hoover, Steve Cox and Christina Zambon, Skyview Associate Principals
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Parent Request for Student Non-Participation - Please return through mail or student by 11/23/99 or earlier.

Please excuse my student, _______________________________________, from participation in the 11/23 evening Model United Nations debate.
Reason for student absence:

_____________________________________ __________
Parent Signature Date

If student does not attend and does not have this form and completed alternative assignment into Dr. Questad by 11/30,
an activity score of zero will result.