Harry Potter Fans! Geeks! Nerds! Looking for a fun, magical challenge? Join Ilvermorny Term 9!

Based on the American school from the Harry Potter Universe, we are a fun, story driven, role-playing-esque based fitness challenge.

Join as a competitive or non-competitive participant in one of our four illustrious houses and help bring glory to your house by helping to win the House and Quidditch Cups! (We also have a smorgasbord of Individual awards up for grabs!)

About Term:

• APPLY HERE: https://ilvermornyfaculty.typeform.com/to/Yzianl
• The challenge will begin 1/21/19. (The link to the Castle group/group invites will be provided on 1/18/19 by midnight EST via private message.)
• Term 9 will run for 7 weeks, and will end on 3/10/19.
• The deadline for applications is 1/17/19.

Why should you want to go to Ilvermorny when you could go to Hogwarts, Mahoutokoro, Uagadou, Castelobruxo, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, or Durmstrang Institute? Well Pottermore gives us some reasons https://www.pottermore.com/features/how-to-pick-the-perfect-wizard-school-for-you

However we like to think that Ilvermorny reigns supreme because of our rich history, fun atmosphere, and 4 awesome houses. Now you may be familiar with the Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, & Ravenclaw). These houses tend to reflect what you value. At a slight contrast, Ilvermorny tends to reflect how a person makes a choice and in so project how you reflect yourself as a whole.
Do you make your choices by logic and reason? Maybe Horned Serpent is for you.
Perhaps you focus on the practical and immediate solution. The Wampus warrior might be who you are.
Maybe you are driven by love, emotion, and compassion. The Pukwudgie healer might be what you see in the mirror.
Perhaps, you are guided by your beliefs, what is in your soul. The Thunderbird adventurers might be calling your name.

After you've completed the application, please send me and the rest of the faculty a friend request so you don’t miss any updates! We have found a known bug that does not allow people to message non-friends! Please include a note that you are friending us regarding the Ilvermorny Challenge.

Be on the lookout for a raven (PM) on Friday, January 18 by midnight EST with the link to the castle! (You'll need to request on the group page to join, as it is a private group, and due to the anticipated high volume of students, we will not be able to invite everyone individually.)


We hope to see you soon!

Yours Sincerely,
Headmistress jgundz
Ilvermorny, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"Pedicabo eam, eligo beatus esse."



Challenge Information, Rules and Regulations:

1. The Essentials
•General summary: Each week, there will be a short story segment posted that incorporates students into the plot (the more you participate, the more likely you'll be featured in the story!) and multiple classroom assignments. Completing these assignments will earn points for the student’s house, (or for Ghosts and No-Maj, simply the feeling of accomplishment.)

The focus of the Ilvermorny Challenge is overall wellness—body and mind—and less about strictly weight loss, as that is not the sole indicator of wellness. Therefore, there will only be two (strictly voluntary) official weigh ins – one at the beginning of term and one at the end.

•There will be two types of participants in the Ilvermorny Challenge:

Competitive Students: Everything's made up, but the points do matter! Point-earning players who will be sorted into one of the four houses and complete multiple weekly assignments to compete for the House and Quidditch Cups. There will be a limit of 25 students per house. Once full, remaining students will be waitlisted. (Good for those that are prepared for a challenge, and have extra time to devote to completing assignments.)

Non-competitive Ghosts: Non Point-earning participants that will “haunt” the Castle (main challenge group) and their House Common Room. Ghosts will complete the challenges when they can, but will not compete for points. (Good for those that have busy schedules and can’t commit to completing every assignment, but also don’t want to be excluded from the goings on at Ilvermorny.)

About students who are wait-listed:
The local No-Maj town will serve as the waiting area for students who are waitlisted due to size constraints in the competing houses. Wait-listed students will be part of the main challenge group and are invited to try their hand at the Class Assignments while waiting for a spot to open up in their house of choice.


2. MFP Groups
•Students and Ghosts:

Ilvermorny Castle: The main challenge group where assignments are completed.

House Common Room: Each house will have a private common room open only to that houses’ students and ghosts* to discuss whatever they like.

*All Heads of Houses will have access to each common room, in the event that they would like to have afternoon tea together or need to deliver an important letter from the Ravenry. This also helps in case one of the Professors needs to take a leave of absence and another faculty member needs to oversee their house for a short while.

•No-Maj: Ilvermorny Castle group only.

3. Points
•Points are awarded when a student completes an assignment within the allotted time.
•Extra points may be awarded for placing in Duels, winning a Quidditch Match, or other pop-up challenges that may be added.
•At the end of the term, the House with the most points wins the coveted House Cup. Their win will be recorded for all of time in the Ilvermorny Trophy Room.
•The student with the most points at the end of term from each house will be the MPW (Most Powerful Witch or Wizard) for their house, and their name will be recorded for all of time in the Ilvermorny Trophy Room.

4. Attendance Policy
•Students:
Students are expected to participate in all classes (see section 5. Classes for a list), BUT participation is not mandatory. However, if a student does not participate in 3 or more challenges in one week, they will be changed to a non-competitive ghost and a wait-listed player will be allowed to join in the inactive student’s place.

There are exceptions that can be made.
Excused Absences:
•If a student is unable to attend at least 3 classes in one week for whatever reason, they may contact their Head of House in advance for an excused absence.
•If a situation arose that did not allow for prior notification to be sent before that week’s due date, then the student is responsible for dispatching a raven to their Head of House as soon as possible, but no later than 2 days after the end of the missed week. It is up to the discretion of the Head of House whether to excuse the absence after receiving the student’s raven.


•Ghosts:
Ghosts should participate in at least one class or activity a week. If a ghost is not seen for 2 weeks, we will assume they have chosen to move on to the life beyond, and they will be removed from the challenge groups. No ravens will be sent to Ghosts notifying them of this change, but we do wish them the best should they choose to move on to the next grand adventure.

•No-Maj:
If a No-Maj does not participate in any activities for 2 weeks, it will indicate that the No-Maj has chosen to move to another town, and their name will be removed from the town record of current residents (meaning the participant will be removed from the current challenge group). No ravens will be sent to No-Maj notifying them of this change, but we do wish them the best should they choose to move away.

5. Classes
There will be seven classes every week of the challenge.

• Charms - The focus of this class will be strength as great magical strength is needed to perform powerful spells and charms.
  
• Potions - Learning to combine different ingredients to brew a concoction that produces the desired effect is achieved in this classroom. Potions is about food, drink, and overall nutrition.
  
• Transfiguration - The transformation of objects is the purpose of this class. In Transfiguration, you will work on your physical fitness to transform your body via cardio.
  
• Defense Against the Dark Arts - Well-being is not strictly confined to the state of your body, but also your mind, and you shall learn how to defend yourself and safeguard your happiness in this class. DADA will have assignments relating to mental wellness and creativity.
  
• Care of Magical Creatures - You never know what might show up for study in this class! Always something exciting happening here!
  
• Herbology - the focus of this class is flexibility, as one needs to be flexible when dealing with magical herbs and fungii. Think the flixibility of the Whomping Willow in Scotland...
  
• Arithmancy - Facts and figures that will help in your magical studies are the purpose of this class. This is where you will post if you stayed under your calorie goal for the week.

Other classes may be added as seen fit.


6. Quidditch
The basics:
•Quidditch matches will take place throughout the term, and each house will play one match with every other house.
•All quidditch matches are voluntary student participation only.
•At the end of each match, the House with the most minutes wins the match and receives 15 house points towards the House Cup.
•The Quidditch Finals will be played by the two houses with the most Quidditch Points, (which may not be the two houses with the most wins, so try your best to make the Finals!)
•The House that wins the Quidditch Finals will win the Quidditch Cup, and their win will be recorded for all of time in the Ilvermorny Trophy Room.

How to play: TBA during Term

7. Infractions and Expulsions
Points, once fairly earned, cannot be taken away. Therefore, if there is inappropriate behavior, only one warning will be given directly to the participant exhibiting the behavior in question. If the behavior continues, the participant will be expelled and may not participate in the Ilvermorny Challenge in any capacity in the future. If the behavior is extreme enough, the participant will be expelled with no warning at the discretion of the Faculty.

The following are some examples of behavior that is unacceptable, but this is not a comprehensive list:

-Bullying (any targeting of a specific player in a negative way)
-Shaming
-Hate Speech (racism, homophobia, etc.)
-Sexual Harassment
-Verbal Harassment
-Overly aggressive comments
-Extreme negativity

If you are harassed in any way during this challenge, please message your Head of House or the Headmistress immediately.

8. Faculty
The faculty for the Ilvermorny Challenge are as follows:

Headmistress @Jgundz, Head of Horned Serpent
Professor @kiri127 Head of Thunderbird
Professor @DixieHealthy2015, Head of Wampus
Professor @tahm42, Head of Pukwudgie
Adjunct Professor @Yumesoraki, Wand and Dueling Maester



Please bring any questions or concerns directly to our attention via private messaging.