The annual District Spelling Bee will be held Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Dorothy Mulvihill Performing Arts of Manteca High School. Organized by the Elementary Education Department, the event will begin at 6:30 p.m. 

Shasta Elementary School Principal Audrey Greene will serve as mistress of ceremonies and Nile Garden School Principal Debbie Noceti-Ward will be the Spelling Master. 

The panel of judges will consist of School Board Trustee Evelyn Moore, Senior Director of Elementary Education Dr. Cheryl Meeker, Walter Woodward Vice Principal Rebecca Robinson, August Knodt/Veritas Vice Principal Michael Cowan, Coordinator of Compensatory Ed, CCSS, State Standards and Staff Development Julie Smith, Department Supervisor for Elementary Education Diyan Dringenberg, Department Supervisor for Student Services Sharon Fang, and Spelling Bee Coordinator Tevani Liotard. 

The winners at each school site for their division will represent their school at the District Spelling Bee. The top three spellers in the 4th- to 6th-grade division will be registered for the San Joaquin County Spelling Bee. Those winners will represent Manteca Unified School District. The county competition will take place Monday, Dec. 1, in room Burwood 2 at the County Office of Education starting at 4 p.m. The top 15 contestants from this round will then be invited to the finals on Dec. 3, in Burwood 2 starting at 3 p.m. 

The top two winners in each division will qualify for the state competition. The State Spelling Bee Competition will be held in the spring. 

Any questions, call Tevani Liotard at 858-0876 or email tliotard@musd.net