E4K 2014 completely removed the phase registration system in favor of a single general registration period. There were no noticeable negative impacts on registration, and this change made operations slightly easier for webmasters. A trend emerged in E4K 2012 and 2013: only ~60-70% of registrants actually showed up on the day of the event for various reasons. E4K 2014 committee set a cap on registration to 600 in order to compensate for this pattern in hopes of increasing actual participation to ~400, but this cap was never attained. The following is a timeline of events for contacting schools in 2014.
Before Winter Break
- Collect Elementary School contact information through web searches
- 60 schools targeted: suggested increase to >80 for the future.
Over Winter Break
- Prepare advertisements: fliers, counselor and parent letters
2nd and 3rd weeks in January (when elementary schools return from winter break)
- Advertise to schools (send them fliers, counselor and parent letters detailing registration code)
January 30
- Registration opened
March 11 (6 days before E4K 2014)
- Send out Attendee information, waiver forms, maps
March 17 (right after E4K 2014)
- Send out Attendee Questionnaire for feedback
Below is an archive of the school contacting timeline for E4K 2013 and earlier.
Before Winter Break
- Collect Elementary School contact information
- Target schools for Phase 1 registration
Over Winter Break
- Prepare advertisements: fliers, counselor and parent letters
2nd and 3rd weeks in January (when elementary schools return from winter break)
- Advertise to Phase 1 schools (send them fliers, counselor and parent letters detailing registration code)
January 30 to February 12
- Phase 1 Registration
- Advertise to Phase 2 schools (send them fliers, counselor and parent letters)
February 13 to March 9
- Phase 2 Registration
- Form Waitlist
- Periodic updates to registered/waitlisted students.
March 12 (5 days before E4K 2012)
- Confirm registration status (registered/not registered from waitlist)
- Send out Attendee information
March 20 (right after E4K 2012)
- Send out Attendee Questionnaire for feedback