CIS Instructions - Advisors/Show Directors/Mentors

These are the CIS instructions for Advisors, Show Directors, and Mentors. As Admin, you need to know how to use their CIS pages.

By logging in to CIS, you can:

• view your schedule
• update your personal database (email, phone number)
• find addresses and maps for Cappies Shows
• view the schedule of your Critics Team
• monitor the attendance, and review-writing performance, of your Critics Team
• record Critics' attendance
• receive reviews from Critics
• edit, select, and forward reviews
• send an email to the Program Director (or webmaster)

And, through CIS, program officials can email you information about your Critics Team, your Cappies Show, and other Cappies news.

GETTING STARTED

When your name is submitted as part of your school's online Cappies application (or afterwards), an email will automatically be sent to you, advising you of your username and temporary password. You must follow the instructions in the email to get a new password. You must respond to this email, or you will not be added to the roster of Cappies Advisors and Show Directors. As soon as you do, your personal pages will be activated on CIS
To participate in the Cappies, the school's Advisor must receive emails from CIS Most CIS emails are sent out in batches, through a system that computers will not divert into "spam" bins. However, if anyone has installed a powerful spam guard on your computer, it is possible that CIS emails may be blocked. If so, you (or someone else at your computer) will need to disable the spam blocker for CIS email. The best way is to inform your spam program that you wish to receive any email with a "cappies.com" address.

LOGGING IN

How to Learn Your Username

Your username is simple. It is:

• your school's two-letter Cappies code
• a dash
• the first letter of your first name
• the first seven letters of your last name

For example, if you are Ben Thompson from North Town High School (school code: NT), your username is: nt-bthompso
If you do not know your school's two-letter Cappies code, please ask your Program Director or one of your Critics -- or email helpdesk@cappies.com, stating your school and home town.

How to Learn Your Password

Your password is a unique eight-character alphanumeric code. You will be emailed an initial password as soon as you are added to the roster. It will look something like: nx4t6m7b
If you have not received an emailed password, your email address is probably incorrect in the database, and you will need to send your correct email address to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include with your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program. You will be sent a password, but perhaps not immediately. When you receive your password, you might want to change it to something you can more easily remember.

How to Change Your Password

You will be sent an initial password. If you wish, you can change it to something more familiar. Here's how:
Step One: Log in to CIS
Step Two:Click on "Change Your Password."
Step Three:Type in your current password in the first text box.
Step Four:Type in your desired new password in the second text box.
Step Five:Re-type in your desired new password in the third text box
Step Six: Click "Change Password."
Your password must be eight letters or numbers, in any combination, including capital letters. CIS will not allow you to choose common or easy-to-guess passwords (such as "password"). If CIS doesn't accept your new password, if will tell you. Try something else until CIS tells you, that your password has been accepted. For tips on choosing a good password, click "these tips" on the "Change Your Password" page.
Store your username and password in your computer (or some other safe place). You will need them to submit reviews. Without them, you cannot log in to CIS

What to Do If You Forget Your Username or Password

If you do not know your username or password, click on the "click here" next to the line "forgotten your username or password?" On the next page, type your email address, and click "submit." If the email address you submit matches your email address in the CIS database, your username and password will be automatically sent to that email address. If you do not receive this information immediately, your email address may be incorrect in the CIS database. Send your correct email address to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program. You will be sent a username and password, but perhaps not immediately.

How to Log In

You can log in to CIS via a number of links on www.cappies.com. You can do this from the home page (CIS box, or upper right hand corner), or from the home page of each Cappies program.
When you get to the log-in page, it will ask for your username, your password, and your region. Type your username and password. The first time you type in your password, you may be asked if you want your computer to remember it -- and, if so, click "yes."
Then click the "v" next to "Select Region", scroll to the three-letter code of your Cappies program, and click that. If you do not know your program's three-letter code, please send an email to helpdesk@cappies.com, stating your school and home town, and you will be sent the code, but not immediately (or ask a Critic at your school, who might know).
Click "Click to Login."
Once you have logged in, use the navigation links at the bottom of each page. Do not hit your usual browser "back" button while logged in to the system, or you may have to exit CIS and have to log in again -- and you may not be able to retrieve your last piece of work.

MAIN MENU

Once you log in, you will see the Main Menu. You will also see a set of links. When you click on any of the links, you will be directed to other CIS pages. When on those pages, you can return to the Main Menu by clicking the "Main Menu" link at the top left, or the "Back to Main Menu" button at the bottom. You can log out by clicking the link at the bottom. You can also return to the "Main Menu" by clicking on the "back" command on the toolbar of your web browser.

How to Find Show Schedules and Maps

To find the schedule for Cappies Shows, click on the link "View a list of all xxx shows" (xxx is the three-letter code for your Cappies program). This will give you show names, schools, dates, and curtain times for all Cappies Shows in your program.
To find the address for each school, click on the school's name.
To see a map showing the location of each school, go to the address box and click "find a map." Please note that Mapquest maps are sometimes inexact. If no map appears when you click the link, this means that Mapquest does not produce a map for that address -- in which case, you should consult a local map or obtain directions in another way.

How to Find Your Personal Information

For you to use CIS, and for program officials to reach you (which may be necessary, especially for Mentors), the Cappies must have accurate information, including your home phone number and any cell phone number. This is kept confidential, accessible only to program officials.
You can find your personal CIS database by logging in and clicking on "https://realcis.tjhsst.edu/chpwd.plView your personal information." On this page, you can see what name, school name, email address, and home phone we have for you, along with information about your school's roster of Mentors and Critics.
If you are a Mentor, you will see your Mentor schedule, your assignments as Discussion Mentor or Editor Mentor, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of other Mentors assigned to those same Cappies Shows.

How to Change Your Personal Information

If there are any errors on your personal information page, or if your email or phone number ever changes, please enter the changes by returning to the "Main Menu" link at the top, clicking on "Correct Your Critic Information", and typing the necessary fixes, and clicking on the "request corrections" link. This will send a message to the webmaster, who will approve the change.
If that process does not work, for any reason, you can email the correction or update to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program.

How to Use CIS to Send an Email

To send an email to the Program Director, go to the link "Send an email to the Program Director" under the heading "REPORT".
To send an email to someone at your school who is involved with the Cappies -- a Critic, Advisor, Show Director, Mentor, or Booster -- click on the "Send an Email" link under the heading "EMAIL". When you are on that page, click on the small box next to whomever you would like to receive your email, enter the email addresses of others you would like to receive it, enter a subject, and enter your message. If you wish to add a file, click on "browse," find the file you want to include, click on "open" on that Outlook page, and then click "add" on the CIS page. (If you wish to remove a file from the email, click "Remove".)
When you are ready to send the email, click "Send email". You will soon see a box indicating that the email has been sent. You will receive a copy of your email in your Outlook Inbox (not your Outbox).

USING CIS AS AN ADVISOR

How to Track the Performance of Your School's Critics Team

CIS assists you in monitoring the attendance and review-writing record of each Critic from your school's Critics Team. Your "View Your Mentor Information" page has a summary chart. Here is how to interpret its information:

• Your school's Critics Team has been assigned to a show: gray
• A Critic has declined an assigned show: red
• A Critic has volunteered for a show: blue
• A Critic was present at a show, with a review pending: P
• A Critic was absent from an assigned (or volunteered) show: A
• A critic's review has been received: R
• A critic's review is late, but may still be submitted: L
• A critic's review was not received within 72 hours after the review deadline, and may no longer be submitted: N

Your school's Lead Critic can also see this information, for the full team, on CIS Each Critic can see his/her own information, on CIS
CIS automatically accepts all reviews, regardless of content. If, afterwards, the Program Director determines that a review is unacceptable for any reason, the Program Director will decide whether to notify just the student or (in flagrant cases) also the Lead Critic and Advisor of the critic's school.
CIS will only accept reviews that are submitted within 72 hours of the review deadline. (The deadline is always on Sunday, so the following Wednesday is the final deadline. The exact time of that deadline depends on the time of the original deadline, which is based on the curtain time for the Cappies Show.)
We expect all Critics to meet their obligations, which includes

• Attending all assigned shows, or declining by giving notice through CIS
• Reviewing all shows they attend.
• Reviewing the required minimum number of shows over the school year. (Ask your Program Director, or your school's Critics, what this is.)
• Voting for awards.

The Cappies award process requires each school to carry its fair share of the review-writing and awards-voting tasks, and each Critics Team has yearly obligations. Ask your Program Director, or your school's Critics, what the minimum review numbers are for your Cappies program. .
If, at any point in the year, a Critic appears unlikely to meet his/her obligations, for any reason, we would urge you to remove the Critic from the Team roster, by emailing your Program Director or helpdesk@cappies.com.

USING CIS AS A MENTOR

How You Will be Reminded of Assigned Shows

If you are assigned to a Cappies Show, CIS will send you automatic reminders about the show 14 days, 7 days, and 48 hours before the show. You will also receive an Attendance List of the Critics who are assigned to that show or have volunteered for it, along with the name of the other Mentor.
Please print out that final (48 hour) Attendance List, and bring it to the Cappies Show. Use it to take attendance there.

What If You Can't Attend an Assigned Show?

If you are a Mentor and cannot attend a Cappies Show to which you have been assigned, you must notify the Program Director by email, not later than three weeks before the show. To email the Program Mentor, log in, go to the Main Menu, click "Send an email to the program director," write your message in the space provided, and click "Send".
Switching Mentor assignments is relatively easy early in the year and during weeks when not many schools have shows. It can be quite difficult late in the year and during weeks when many schools have shows. If you must ask to change a Mentor date, please include at least three alternative dates you can do (from which the Program Director will select one). To find alternative dates, log in to CIS, click the "View a List of All Shows" link on the Main Menu, and you will find the Cappies Show schedule for the year.
If, due to illness or personal emergency, you must decline a Mentor assignment at very short notice, you (or a family member) should immediately email and phone the Program Director, who in all likelihood will have to find an emergency replacement from the Steering Committee.

How You Can Reach the Other Mentor

The other Mentor's name, phone number, and email address are all listed on your "View your personal information" page.

How to Report Critic Attendance

The Editor Mentor must report Critic attendance immediately upon returning home after a Cappies Show. If you fail to do this -- or don't do it accurately -- CIS will mark Critics as "absent" on data fields visible to the Critic and to the critic's Advisor, which can cause unnecessary embarrassment for the Critic. Please make sure that all Critics who are in attendance are marked present. If a Critic on the attendance list is not marked present, a notification is sent to his/her Advisor, and -- again to prevent unnecessary embarrassment for a critic -- we want to make sure these notifications are accurate.
Here's how to do this:
Step One:Before you leave for a Cappies Show you are mentoring, log in to CIS, click on "Report Critic Attendance," and print out the page (using mouse-click commands).
Step Two: Take the attendance print-out to the show.
Step Three: Take attendance at the show, using the print-out. (If you don't have the print-out, use a blank sheet of paper, making sure you can read every Critic's writing.)
Step Four: If any Critic is present who is not on the print-out, be sure to have them write down his/her name and school name on your attendance list.
Step Five: During intermission, make sure you have the name of every Critic present.
Step Six: Upon returning home after a show, log in to CIS
Step Seven: Click on "Report Critic Attendance".
Step Eight: Using the print-out (or your other list), check off the names of all Critics present. You can do this either by clicking "select all" and clicking the circle by those who were absent, or by clicking "de-select all" and clicking the circle by those who were present.
Step Nine: If any Critic who is not on the attendance list was in fact present, enter that critic's username in the data field at the bottom of the page. CIS will help you do this. Using the "school" toggle switch, locate the critic's school, and click on it. Then locate the Critic and click on his/her name.
Step Ten: When you have prepared a complete and accurate attendance list, click on the button marked "Submit". Please finish these steps immediately upon returning home from a Cappies Show.

How to Enter Critics' Choices

If no Cappies official from your program is present at the end of the post-show discussion, you (as Editor Mentor) are responsible for entering all Critics' Choices on CIS Please do this as soon as you return home from the performance, right after you enter attendance.
If you are the Editor Mentor, and if a Cappies official from your program is present at the end of the post-show discussion, you should give that person all the post-show evaluation forms -- in which case s/he will enter Critics' Choices on CIS
You enter Critics' Choices by going to that link, and entering each name, or group name, in the field shown. You can list of two to four names (no more than four) in one a field, separated by commas. You will include the performer's name only. You must enter the name of the Play or Musical on that category line. Please take great care to spell all names correctly.

What Are the Critics' Review Deadlines?

All reviews are due on the Sunday of the same week after a show. The deadlines for Critics' review submissions will be (in local time):

Mentors may extend the review deadline for a Sunday afternoon Cappies Show, but not beyond 10 PM of the same Sunday night.
Not less than 14 days prior to the Cappies Show, a Mentor may request any early review deadline. Program Directors are reluctant to do this, to avoid putting extra stress on Critics (and making deadlines less predictable), and will only do so in case of necessity.

How to Receive Reviews from Critics

Critics who attend a Cappies Show are all expected to write a review, subject to a strict deadline posted on CIS The deadline is usually sometime on Sunday, of the same week as the Cappies Show -- but can vary, depending on the program, media deadlines, and other scheduling needs. You can find the review deadline for each of your Mentored shows by going to the "View Mentor Information" link or "View Critic Reviews" link (for discussion Mentors), or "Edit Critic Reviews" link (for editor Mentors).
Reviews that are submitted after the deadline, even one minute too late, will be marked (in red) as late. Under the Cappies rules, you and the other Mentor may decide whether or not to consider selecting late reviews for publication -- but, in any event, you will need to edit them in the same manner you would for all reviews that will be forwarded to the performing school.

What Is the Mentors' Submission Deadline?

Your deadline is 8 PM on Sunday (the same day you receive the reviews) -- unless the show takes place on Sunday afternoon, in which case the Critic review deadline is 9 PM and the Mentor submission deadline is 12 AM Monday (midnight Sunday night). You may, if circumstances require, extend the Critic review deadline to 10 PM, in which case your submission deadline would be 1 AM Monday.
If you think you might not meet the submission deadline, please immediately contact the Program Director by email and phone.

What Happens If You Miss the Submission Deadline?

If reviews are submitted late to the media, even just once, this can jeopardize media support for the Cappies program. Therefore, the Mentor deadlines must be taken very seriously -- by Mentors and by the Program Director.
If an Editor Mentor misses the Mentor submission deadline, the Program Director (or designee) will telephone one or both Mentors, even at a very late hour, to ask one or both of them to complete Mentor work for the show. If both Mentors are reachable, or not able to finish the Mentor work, then the Program Director will do the Mentor work for the show, even if the Program Director has not seen the show. This will require late-night work for the Program Director, who will not be very appreciative, and who may ask that one or both Mentors be removed from the roster.

How to Select Reviews for Publication

Both the Editor Mentor and Discussion Mentor are responsible for reading through each of the reviews and deciding which reviews should be forwarded to local newspapers for publication. Both Mentors will need to rank these selected reviews.
You will be advised, near the top of the "Edit Critic reviews" page, how many reviews will be selected for publication. You will need to rank these selected reviews.
Step One:While at the Cappies Show, confirm with the other Mentor when and how the two of you will confer (by phone or email) to agree upon which reviews will be forwarded for publication.
Step Two: After the review submission deadline (see above), log onto CIS
Step Three: Click on "View Critic Reviews".
Step Four: On the third line from the top, see how many reviews are to be selected for publication.
Step Five: Click on the review link next to each critic's name to read the review
Step Six: Come up with your own ranking of top reviews. In making selections for publication, please select reviews in a manner consistent with the rules. (See your binder.)
Step Seven: Discuss your rankings with the other Mentor, by phone or email. Together, you must decide which reviews will be forwarded for publication, in which order. (The top reviews will go to the major newspapers.)
Step Eight: The Editor Mentor enters the agreed-upon rankings in the text boxes next to the selected reviews. For example, if the CIS tells you to select 6 reviews, place numbers 1 through 6 next to your 6 selected reviews.
Step Nine: The Editor Mentor clicks the "Save Ranks" button. (When the Editor Mentor returns to the page later via the "Edit Critic Reviews" link, the ranks will still be noted on the page.)
Once the two Mentors have made and ranked these selections, the Discussion Mentor has no further tasks. (However, if the Editor Mentor fails to make a submission by the deadline, both Mentors may be phoned at a late hour.)

How to Edit Reviews

Step One:Bring home a copy of the show program.
Step Two: Select reviews to be forwarded for publication. (See above.)
Step Three: While still on the "Edit Critic Reviews" page, click on the review links for the reviews selected for the media, and carefully edit them for:

• Spelling (especially names of cast and characters)
• Grammar and style
• Criticism, which must be:
• Within the range of fair comment.
• Stated constructively, combined with praise, to the extent possible.
• Presented as observation, not as advice.
• Not longer than necessary to state a point.
• Not directed toward any named student or character.
• Not directed toward any adult in the cast, or in any offstage role.
• Not directed toward any composer, playwright or lyricist.

Step Four: Make sure that each review offers at least a brief, interesting description about the background of the show, and about the story line. If the Critic wrote nothing about one or both of these, please write your own description, taking care not to comment on the quality of the production by the performing school.
Step Five: After editing each review, click "Save changes." Then, if you wish to take a break from editing, or do other online work and come back to the editing task later, you will start where you left off. To read the original submission, as written by the Critic click the "View Original" button.
Do NOT click the "Submit Reviews" button until you have edited ALL reviews.
Step Six:You must now carefully review, and if necessary edit, all reviews that were not selected for the media. For these reviews (which will be forwarded to the performing school, but not published), you need not edit for name spelling, grammar and style, and fairness of praise, but only edit to confirm that each review complies with the rules on criticism.
If you determine that a review substantially violates the rules on criticism -- if, for example, it is so negative, personal, or sarcastic that it's beyond editing range -- please alert the Program Director about the review, making sure to (1) identify it by number and (2) paste the review on the email. To do this, go to the Main Menu, and click on the link for "Send an email to the program director".
Step Seven: After editing each review, click "Save changes." Even if you make no edits in a review, click the "Save changes" button to mark it as edited. When you return to the "Edit Critic Reviews" page, that review will now be marked as "edited."
Step Eight: Complete this editing process for each review, one by one, until all reviews are marked as "edited."
Step Nine: When you have read and (as necessary) edited all reviews, complete the checklist near the bottom of the "Edit Critic reviews" page. (Before you check them off, please read the items on the list, to be sure you actually have done them.)
Step Ten: Click the "Submit Reviews" button, and your work is done.
Once you click on the "Submit Reviews" button, you will no longer be able to edit reviews, change rank orders, or resubmit reviews for any reason. If this is a problem, email the Program Director (by returning to the Main Menu and clicking on the link marked "Send an email to the program director"), describe the problem, and the Program Director will be able to fix it. After you click the "Submit Reviews" button, you will still be able to see the original and edited reviews.

What to Do with Unacceptable Reviews

If a review is under 200 words, very poorly written, violates the rules on criticism, or contains other inappropriate comments, do not empty the data field for that review. Instead, please notify the Program Director (by returning to the Main Menu and clicking on the link marked "Send an email to the program director"). Do this no later than when you submit your edited reviews. The Program Director has the ability to delete an unacceptable review before all reviews are sent to the performing school -- and, also, to delete it entirely from CIS, after which the Critic can be asked to resubmit a more acceptable review.

How Mentors Can Switch or Share Editor Mentor Tasks

If a Cappies Show has a very large number of Critics, if the Editor Mentor has schedule problems on Sunday prior to the Mentors' submission deadline, or for any other reason, the two Mentors can agree to share (or switch) Editor Mentor tasks. To do this, the Editor Mentor will need to make the request through CIS (A Discussion Mentor cannot make this request on CIS If you are Discussion Mentor, you will need to ask the Editor Mentor to do this.)
To share (or switch) Mentor tasks, before (or immediately following) a show, the Editor Mentor should click the link that reads "Switch or share assignment" for a particular Cappies Show. Go to that link, click on either "switch" or "share," and then click "submit."
When, as an Editor Mentor, you "switch" an assignment, you will become the Discussion Mentor for that show. This means you will no longer be able to report attendance, edit reviews, and submit them to media. When you "share" an assignment, you will still be an Editor Mentor, able to do all these things -- and so will the Discussion Mentor. In effect, then, you will each be Editor Mentor for that show.

What to Do If CIS Is Down

If you have trouble reaching CIS, the most likely reason is that your own server has problems. Very infrequently, CIS may be down when you are trying to log in, perhaps to submit a review. If this happens, it will probably be down very briefly. The current status of CIS, whether it is currently functioning or down for any reason, will be noted on the www.cappies.com home page.
If CIS is not functioning for you, for any reason, the Critic will submit the review by email, in a timely manner, to mentor.xxx@cappies.com (where "xxx" is your three-letter program code). Please make sure you keep a digital copy, in your computer files, which you can submit on CIS when you can access the internet.
Please submit your edited reviews via CIS if it is online. Do not submit reviews outside CIS purely as a matter of convenience.

NOTIFICATIONS

About Your Show

CIS will automatically send you projected attendance lists for your Cappies Show, 14 days, 7 days, and 2 days before the show. This will indicate how many tickets Cappies officials will need, for that show. We allow Critics to volunteer and decline shows, so this number may change, but it is unlikely to change by much. We encourage you to use the number of tickets projected in your 14-day notice to plan the size of the Cappies Room, amount of refreshments, and (approximate) block of tickets that will be needed.
Some Cappies Shows are very heavily attended by Critics. If you are expecting a sellout, please send an email to the Program Director, or to helpdesk@cappies.com. We can then send an advisory
A Show Director may request that a limit be placed on the number of Critics who can attend a Cappies Show at his/her school.
If, before the 14 day notice period begins, the Program Director notices that the number of Critics on your show's attendance list has become quite large, s/he may send you a CIS email alerting you about your current Critics count.
After your Cappies Show has been completed, you will receive two emails from CIS: (1) A list of Critics whose reviews have been selected for, and submitted to, the media; and (2) all Critic reviews. Usually, you will receive one or both of these emails on the Sunday evening after your show. At the latest, you will receive them on Monday. Please share these emails with your cast and crew.

About Your Critics

Your Critics Team is required to send at least half its members to review each of the five shows to which it has been assigned. Individual Critics may decline to attend an assigned show. However, if more than half of the Critics on your team decline a show, you will be notified about this 7 days, and again 2 days, before the assigned show. If you receive such a notification, please meet with your Lead Critic (or, if you wish, the entire Critics Team) and remind them of their obligations under the rules.
If a Critic from your school is on the attendance list for a Cappies Show but is not marked as "present" by the Mentors at that show, you will be notified. If you receive such a notification, please check with that Critic to see if s/he did in fact attend the show. (It is possible that the Mentors were in error -- or, more likely, that the Critic did not check in with the Mentors.) If the Critic did attend the show, please send an email indicating that to the Program Director (see below for instructions how to do that). If the Critic did not attend the show, please remind that Critic of his/her obligations under the rules.
If a Critic from your school attended a Cappies Show but has failed to submit a review within 24 hours after the review is due, you will be notified. If you receive such a notification, please remind the Critic that s/he must submit a review for every Cappies Show s/he has attended, and that late reviews will only be accepted up to 72 hours after the initial review submission deadline. If a Critic fails to submit a review by that final deadline (on Wednesday), you will again be notified. If this happens, please remind that Critic that s/he will be removed from the roster if this happens a second time. If the Critic has a good reason (i.e., illness or personal emergency) for failing to submit a review within 72 hours, please send an email to the Program Director (see below) to request a three-day extension.
On a more positive If a Critic from your school has a review selected for the media, you will be notified -- in which case, we encourage you to extend congratulations to that Critic.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF CAPPIES DATABASE

At the end of the program year, after the Cappies Gala, you will remain in the database for the year in which you were a mentor. Your data will remain confidential, accessible only to program officials, but you may receive additional emails about Cappies news items your Program Director considers of interest to Mentors from the prior year. If you do not want to receive these emails after the program year is over, you can log in, go to your Main Menu, click on the "Correct your personal information" link, delete your email address, and click on the "request correction" link.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

If you have any questions about CIS, or if you are following these procedures but still cannot log in, please send an email to helpdesk@cappies.com. You will get a response, but perhaps not immediately.
If you wish to contact the Program Director for any reason -- to make a request or comment, or to ask a question -- go to the "Send an email to the program director" link on your Main Menu, type your message in the space provided, and click "Send an email."

CIS INSTRUCTIONS (Critic)

These are the CIS instructions for Critics. As Admin, you need to know how to use Critic CIS pages.

By logging in to CIS, you can:

• view your schedule
• update your personal database (email, phone number)
• volunteer for a show
• decline an assigned show, or un-volunteer a volunteered show
• find addresses and maps for Cappies shows
• submit a review
• view reviews submitted by all Critics from your school

And, through CIS, program officials can email you with information about upcoming shows and other Cappies news.
At the end of the year, if your Cappies program has awards, and if you qualify as an awards voter by submitting at least the required minimum number of reviews, you will use CIS to vote. Before you do, and again when you do, you will receive instructions for that.

GETTING STARTED

When your name is submitted as part of your school's online Cappies application (or, if you are added to the roster later, when your name is submitted), an email will automatically be sent to you, advising you of your username and temporary password. You must follow the instructions in the email to get a new password. You must respond to this email, or you will not be added to the roster of Cappies critics. As soon as you do, your personal pages will be activated on CIS

Every Cappie Critic must receive emails from CIS As Lead Critic, you are responsible for making sure they do. Early in the year, check to make sure they do.
Most CIS emails are sent out in batches, through a system that computers will not divert into "spam" bins. However, if anyone has installed a powerful spam blocker on your computer, it is possible that CIS emails may be blocked. If so, you (or someone else at your computer) will need to disable the spam blocker for CIS email. The best way is to inform your spam program that you wish to receive any email with a "cappies.com" address. If you don't know how, your Lead Critic may be able to help you.

LOGGING IN

How to Log In

You can log in to CIS via a number of links on www.cappies.com. You can do this from the home page (CIS box, or upper right hand corner), or from the home page of each Cappies program.
When you get to the log-in page, it will ask for your username, your password, and your region. Type your username and password. The first time you type in your password, you may be asked if you want your computer to remember it -- and, if so, click "yes" to save time later.
Then click the "v" next to "Select Region", scroll to the three-letter code of your Cappies program, and click that. As a Critic, you should know this code, but if you do not, send an email to helpdesk@cappies.com, stating your school and home town, and you will be sent the code, but not immediately (or ask your Lead Critic).
Then click "Click to Log in."
Once you have logged in, use the navigation links at the top or bottom of each page. You can also hit your usual browser "back" button.

How to Learn Your Username

Your username will not change. It is ten characters long, or shorter if you have a last name of less than seven letters. It is:

• your school's two-letter Cappies code
• a dash
• the first letter of your first name
• the first seven letters of your last name, without apostrophes or dashes

(Smith is smith, Johnston is johnsto, O'Hara is ohara, king-lee is kinglee)
Example: A Critic named John Washington, from North Town High School (school code: NT), has a username of: nt-jwashing
If you do not know your school's two-letter Cappies code, please send an email to helpdesk@cappies.com, stating your school and home town, and you will be sent the code, but not immediately (or call up another Critic who might know).

How to Learn Your Password

Your password is a unique eight-character alphanumeric code. You will be emailed an initial password as soon as your school submits its online Cappies application (or as soon as you are added to the roster of Critics. It will look something like: nx4t6m7b
If you do not receive an emailed password, your email address is probably incorrect in the database, and you will need to send your correct email address to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program. You will be sent a password, but perhaps not immediately. When you receive your password, you might want to change it to something you can more easily remember.

How to Change Your Password

Step One: Log in to CIS
Step Two:Click on "Change Your Password."
Step Three:Type in your current password in the first text box.
Step Four:Type in your desired new password in the second text box.
Step Five:Re-type in your desired new password in the third text box
Step Six: Click "Change Password."
Your password must be eight letters or numbers, in any combination, including capital letters. CIS will not allow you to choose common or easy-to-guess passwords (such as "password"). If CIS doesn't accept your new password, if will tell you. Try something else until CIS tells you, that your password has been accepted. For tips on choosing a good password, click "these tips" on the "Change Your Password" page.
Store your username and password in your computer (or some other safe place). You will need them to submit reviews. Without them, you cannot log in to CIS

What to Do if You Forget Your Username or Password

If you do not know your username or password, click on the "click here" next to the line "If you have forgotten your username or password". On the next page, type your email address, and click "submit." If the email address you submit matches your email address in the CIS database, your username and password will be automatically sent to that email address.
If you do not receive this information immediately, your email address may be incorrect in the CIS database -- perhaps because you changed your email address and did not inform CIS If this happens, send your correct email address to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program. You will be sent a username and password, but perhaps not immediately.

PERSONAL DATABASE

For you to use CIS, and for program officials to reach you (or your family, in an emergency), the Cappies must have accurate information, including your home phone number and any cell phone number you may have. This is kept confidential, accessible only to program officials. You can find your personal CIS database by logging in and clicking on "https://realcis.tjhsst.edu/chpwd.plView your personal information." On this page, you can see what name, school name, email address, and home phone CIS has for you.
Your "View your personal information" page has a summary chart, showing your attendance and review-writing record. Here is the key to what the chart reveals:

• Your team has been assigned to a show: gray
• You have declined an assigned show: red
• You have volunteered for a show: blue
• You were present at a show, with a review pending: P
• You were absent from an assigned (or volunteered) show: A
• Your review has been received: R
• Your review is late, and may still be received: L
• Your review was not received within 72 hours after the review deadline,

and may no longer be submitted: N
As Lead Critic, you will be able to see the summary chart for every Critic from your school (including Regional Team members) on your own personal information page.
CIS automatically accepts all reviews, regardless of content. If, afterwards, the Program Director determines that a review that you have submitted is unacceptable for any reason:

• You will be notified.
• Your Advisor and Lead Critic will be notified.
• You will have three days to submit an acceptable review.

How to Change Your Personal Database

If there are any errors on your personal information page, or if your email or phone number ever changes, please enter the changes by returning to the "Main Menu" link at the top, clicking on "Correct Your Critic Information", and typing the necessary fixes, and clicking on the "request corrections" link. This will send a message to the webmaster, who will approve the change.
If that process does not work, for any reason, you can email the correction or update to helpdesk@cappies.com, being sure to include your name, school name, and name of your Cappies program.

MAIN MENU

Once you log in, you will see the Main Menu. You will also see a set of links. When you click on any of the links, you will be directed to other CIS pages. When on those pages, you can return to the Main Menu by clicking the "Main Menu" link at the top left, or the "Back to Main Menu" button at the bottom -- or you can log out, by clicking that link. You can also return to the Main Menu (or any other prior page) by clicking on the "back" command on the toolbar of your web browser.

How to Find Schedules and Maps

To view your schedule, log in to CIS, or click on the "Main Menu" link at the top if you're already logged in. Then click on "View your schedule." This page will show you which the list of shows to which you are assigned or for which you have volunteered. It will also show, in gray, a list of shows you have already reviewed.
To find the schedule for all Cappies shows, click on the link "View a list of all xxx shows" (xxx is the three-letter code for your Cappies program). This will give you show names, schools, dates, and curtain times for all Cappies shows in your program.
To find the address for each school, click on the school's name.
To see a map showing the location of each school, go to the address box and click "find a map." Please note that Mapquest maps are sometimes inexact. If no map appears when you click the link, this means that Mapquest does not produce a map for that address -- in which case, you should consult a local map or obtain directions in another way.

What If You Can't Attend an Assigned Show?

If you cannot attend a Cappies show, for any reason, you may decline through CIS, any time up to 48 hours before the show.
If, due to illness or personal emergency, you must decline later than 48 hours before the show, but before the show starts, you should decline through CIS
If, due to illness, personal emergency, or transportation problems, you are unable to attend a Cappies Show and cannot decline through CIS before the show's scheduled start time, you (or a family member) should email or phone the Program Director or Web Coordinator for your Cappies program.
If you are on the final Attendance List but do not attend a Cappies show, you will be marked as absent -- and CIS will automatically notify your Advisor that you were absent. If another Critic at your school is on the final Attendance List but does not attend a Cappies show, you and your Advisor will be notified.

How to Decline a Show

Step One:Log in to CIS
Step Two: Click on "View Your Schedule of Assigned Shows."
Step Three: Click on the "decline" box next to the show for which you wish to decline.
Step Four: Click "Submit."
Under the rules, when you decline a show, you must volunteer for another show, if necessary for you to stay on schedule to submit the required minimum number of reviews.
If you are on a Regional Team, you may not decline more than two assigned shows.

How to "Un-Decline" a Show

Suppose your plans change, and you now can attend a show which you have declined.
Step One:Log in to CIS
Step Two: Click on "View Your Schedule of Assigned Shows."
Step Three: Click on "Un-Declining Page."
Step Four: Click on the "un-decline" box next to the show which you now wish to attend. The "un-decline" section is at the bottom of the page.
Step Five: Click "Submit."

How to Volunteer for a Show

Step One:Log in to CIS
Step Two: Click on "Volunteer for a non-assigned show."
Step Three: Click on the box next to the show for which you wish to volunteer.
Step Four: Click "submit."

How to "Un-Volunteer" for a Show

Suppose your plans change, and you now cannot attend a show for which you have volunteered.
Step One:Log in to CIS
Step Two: Click on "View Your Schedule of Assigned Shows."
Step Three: Click on the "decline" box next to the show which you now cannot attend.
Step Four: Click "submit."

How You Will be Reminded of Assigned (or Volunteered) Shows

If your Critics Team is assigned to a Cappies show, and unless you have declined it through CIS -- or if you have volunteered for a Cappies show and not subsequently declined it -- CIS will send you automatic reminders about the show 14 days, 7 days, and 2 days before the show.
This attendance list can help you arrange carpools, because it will list (among other names) all Critics from your own school who are on the attendance list.
At least half of a school's Critics Team must attend and review each Cappies show to which it is assigned. If your team is assigned to a Cappies show, but does not have a sufficient number of Critics on the attendance list for that show, CIS will alert you, and all Critics from your school (including any who may be on a Regional Team) 14 days before the show, with a request that your team should fix this. If not, CIS will send out additional notices -- to all Critics on your team and also to your Advisor -- 7 days, and again 2 days before the show.

What if You Don't Attend an Assigned (or Volunteered) Show?

If the Editor Mentor does not mark you as present at a show for which you are on the attendance list, your Advisor will be notified of your absence. To prevent this from happening, please check in with the Editor Mentor when you arrive at a Cappies show, and make sure the mentor marks you down as present.

REVIEWS

When you attend a Cappies Show, as a Critic, you are required to submit a review. As Lead Critic, you are responsible for helping your Advisor make sure every Critic from your school submits reviews for every Cappies Show they attend.

How to Write a Review on CIS

You can either write your review directly on the CIS "Submit a Review" page (which is quicker), or you can write it on a word processor, such as Microsoft Word or something comparable, copy it, and paste it on CIS (which is better).
If you write your review directly on CIS, you will not be able to utilize a spell-check or grammar-check, and you will not be able to save your work. (If power goes out, or if you log off, your work will be lost.) You can also then save your review on your computer hard-drive. When you paste your review, you cannot use your word-processing keystroke commands. You must either use your browser "copy," "cut," and "paste" commands or (better) just use your mouse -- a right-click on a PC mouse, or a click on an Apple mouse. You can also use the "print" command to print a hard copy of a draft review, if you wish to edit it or keep a printed version.
To submit a review:
Step One:Log in to CIS
Step Two: Click on "Submit a Review."
Step Three: Click on the show name for which you wish to submit a review.
Step Four: Write your review, or (if it's from a word processor) paste it, in the text box.
Step Five: Make sure you're following the rules:

• Double-space between paragraphs
• Do NOT indent any paragraphs
• Check the spelling of all names and characters
• Do not include your name or school in your review
• Follow all rules of criticism

In Critics training, you are taught the rules on criticism. Here's a reminder:

• Criticism will be within the range of fair comment, as determined by the Mentors.
• No individual student may be explicitly criticized by name, or by character name.
• Criticism will be stated constructively, not sarcastically or directorially, combined with praise where possible, and no longer than necessary to state its point.
• No praise or criticism may be directed to any adult linked to the performing school, including administrator, teacher, parent, or affiliated theater professional, unless that person is the playwright, lyricist, or composer of the show performed.

If your review that does not comply with these rules, it is not likely to be selected for publication, and may be heavily edited before being forwarded to the performing school. If you flagrantly violate any rules, your review will not be accepted, and your Advisor will be notified.
Unless you are advised otherwise, your review should be not less than 300 words nor more than 400 words. Reviews that are too long will be accepted, but are unlikely to be selected for publication. Reviews that are too short are unlikely to be selected, and reviews of less than 200 words may not be accepted as a submitted review. The "Submit a review" page has a word count to help you stay within these limits.

How to Submit a Completed Review

Step One: On the "Submit a review" page, click "Preview Review."
Step Two:Re-read your review, to make sure it says what you want it to say, and (VERY IMPORTANT) all names are spelled correctly.
Step Three:If you wish to make any changes, click on "Edit Review," make your changes, and click again on "Preview Review."
Step Four: Check-off the checklist -- to confirm that you have completed all tasks.
Step Five:Click "Submit Review."
Once you click "Submit Review," your review will be out of your hands. You cannot edit it again. CIS will automatically forward it to the two Mentors, who will make selections for publication. The Mentors will see only your review, not your name or the name of your school. CIS will automatically forward that information to the newspaper, if your review is selected, listing your name and school as they appear on your "View your personal information" page.
When you submit a review, you will immediately receive an automatic notification by email that your review has been received -- marked as on time, or late.
Thereafter, you will be able to see a submitted review, by clicking on the "View your submitted reviews" link on the Main Menu, and clicking on the name of the reviewed show.
At any time after a Cappies Show, you will be able to check to see which Critics from your school have yet to submit a review.

How to Un-Submit a Completed Review

Suppose you discover, after you've submitted your review, that you've made a major error. For example, suppose you reviewed two shows over a weekend and submitted the wrong one for a particular show. If this (or something comparable) happens, please send an email to the Program Director and/or Web Coordinator, requesting that your review be deleted. When they do this -- which may or may not be prior to the review deadline -- you can submit the correct review, through the process described above.
This process is for major errors only, please -- not for making one last edit.

How to View Submitted Reviews

Your submitted reviews are kept in CIS To see them, log in to CIS, click on "View your submitted reviews", and then click on the show name of the review that you would like to read.

How to Find Out If Your Review Has Been Selected

After mentors select reviews for the media, and after those reviews are forwarded to the media, CIS will send a message to all critics who attended that show, indicating whose reviews have been selected, and to which publications those reviews have been forwarded.

How Reviews Are Sent to Performing Schools

CIS sends all reviews to the performing school, except for reviews that are (1) selected for major media that do substantial editing themselves, or are (2) determined, by Cappies officials, to have substantially violated the rules on criticism -- in which case Cappies officials may notify only the Critic, or (in the most flagrant cases) also the Critic's Advisor.

What Are the Review Deadlines?

All reviews are due on the Sunday of the same week after a show. The deadlines for Critics' review submissions will be (in local time):

Mentors may extend the review deadline for a Sunday afternoon Cappies Show, but not beyond 10 PM of the same Sunday night.
Not less than 14 days prior to the Cappies Show, the Program Director may notify Critics of any early review deadline.

What Happens If You Submit a Review Late, or Not at All?

To confirm the review submission deadline for a show, go to the Main Menu, click on the "View Your Critic Information" link, and you'll find the deadline listed for each of show on your attendance list. The CIS strictly enforces these deadlines.
If you submit your review just one second after the deadline, your review will be marked as late, and Mentors will be instructed not to select it for publication.
If, 24 hours after the review deadline, you have not submitted a review of a show in which the Editor Mentor marks you as having been in attendance, CIS will email a reminder notice to you, your school's Lead Critic, and your Advisor.
If your review is not submitted within 72 hours after the deadline of a show you attended:

• CIS will automatically notify your Advisor and Lead Critic, informing them that you attended a show but failed to submit a review.
• You will not be allowed to evaluate that show in the award voting.
• Depending on the rules of your Cappies program, your school's theater program may be charged $15 for the price of your ticket and refreshments.

If this happens a second time, you will be removed from the roster.
However, if you did not submit a review because of illness or personal emergency, your Advisor can email the Program Director to request a three-day extension, but your Advisor must do so within seven days after the review deadline.

What to Do if You Cannot Access CIS

If you have trouble reaching CIS, the most likely reason is that your own server has problems. Very infrequently, CIS may be down when you are trying to log in, perhaps to submit a review. If this happens, it will probably be down very briefly. The current status of CIS, whether it is currently functioning or down for any reason, will be noted on the www.cappies.com home page.

What to Do if CIS Goes Down

CIS goes down very rarely, but it can happen. If you think CIS might be down, go to the website, www.cappies.com. Scroll halfway down the right side. See the whether it says "CIS Status." If it says ONLINE, then you need to submit your review through CIS
IF (AND ONLY IF) CIS IS NOT ONLINE: submit your review by email, in a timely manner, to critic.xxx@cappies.com (where "xxx" is your three-letter program code). Please make sure you keep a digital copy, in your computer files, which you can submit on CIS when you can access the internet. In such an unusual situation, the Webmaster will forward your review to the Mentors, and it will be considered for publication. Later, when CIS is online again, you may be requested to resubmit your review on CIS
Please do not submit a review outside CIS purely as a matter of convenience. If you submit a review by email when CIS is working, you will probably get an email later, possibly after the submission deadline, asking you to resubmit your review via CIS This may result in Mentors not considering your review for publication.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF CAPPIES DATABASE

Once the Cappies year is over, you will remain in the database for the year in which you were a mentor. Your information will remain confidential, accessible only to program officials, but you may receive additional emails about Cappies news items your Program Director considers of interest to mentors from the prior year. If you do not want to receive these emails after the program year is over, you can log in, go to your Main Menu, click on the "Correct your personal information" link, delete your email address, and click on the "request correction" link.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about CIS, or if you are following these procedures but still cannot log in, please send an email to helpdesk@cappies.com. You will get a response, but perhaps not immediately.