Algebra II Parent Notice September 25

th
, 2014

Dear Parent or Guardian,
Since many students are currently struggling in Algebra II, I am writing to alert you to the problems we are
facing with the class, ask for your assistance in improving your students performance, and guide you to solutions
that will help your student achieve more in Algebra II throughout the year.
As part of achieving our ongoing goal of creating a better education for all students at Page High School, all
Core teachers (math, science, and English) have committed to following the newly adopted Beyond Textbooks
curriculum exactly throughout the first year of implementation. In alignment with the new curriculum, we have
studied trigonometric functions during the first quarter of Algebra II. Although beginning with trigonometry offers
a natural connection to geometry, it is one of the most difficult topics encountered in Algebra II and has proven
challenging for many students. The pacing of the Beyond Textbooks curriculum is also much faster than in previous
years; although the math department, the high school, and the district support this rigorous pacing, but it has been
a challenging adjustment for both staff and students, leaving very little time for reteach within the classroom. As
we move into the second quarter of Algebra II, the class will return to simpler topics with more time for
understanding provided in the curriculum.
While we are wrapping up the first unit of study as well as the first quarter of the year, there are many
ways you and your child can improve upon current grades.
Since quizzes, tests, and projects make up 85% of each students total grade, these types of assignments are
very important to your students grade right now. Here are some strategies that will help your student improve his
or her grade in Algebra II right away:
Retake quizzes after successful studying (complete by Friday, October 3rd).

Prepare for Galileo (Black Day: Monday, September 29th, and Red Day: Tuesday, September 30th).
Galileo now counts as your students quarterly unit test. He or she should complete the review given
out on September 22
nd
and 23
rd
and ask any questions before the Galileo test.

Complete the Unit Circle Art Project (due Black Day: Monday, September 29th, and Red Day: Tuesday,
September 30th).
Each student has been given a rubric (which may also be found on the website) and shown example
projects. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to support your students efforts in Algebra II by
helping him or her to design, create, bake, paint, or draw their project. Since this project falls into the
assessment category, it is makes up a large portion of your students grade for first quarter.

Turn in all homework assignments (due September 30
th
).
Your student should bring home a grade printout for you to review and sign with this letter. Please note
any missing assignments and encourage your student to complete them before Tuesday, September
30
th
. After the 30
th
, assignments will be considered late with 70% credit given; after October 3
rd
, they
will not be accepted at all.

Monitor your students progress in Algebra II throughout the year using the attached flowchart.



Seek out additional resources for understanding the classroom material.
o Tutoring is available from Ms. Carryer on Mondays, Mr. Tso on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and
myself on Wednesdays from 3:25 to 4:25. I am usually available before school from 7:15 to
7:50, after school from 3:15 to 4:30, and during lunch by appointment. Occasionally I have
morning or afternoon duty or meetings that alter my schedule; during the week of September
29
th
to October 3
rd
, I will not be available from 7:20 to 7:50 due to morning duty. Please see my
office hours at mslundberg.weebly.com, or have your student check the listing outside my
classroom door to find a time that works for both of us.
o Algebra II textbooks are available for checkout from the library. Although I do not require
students to check out a textbook, they are free to do so any time. I can provide page numbers
upon request for examples and practice problems for many of the topics we cover in class.
o Each day of instruction, I link to carefully selected pages on my own website,
mslundberg.weebly.com. These pages usually provide examples, videos, and practice problems
on the days topic. Some of the best online resources I have found are KhanAcademy.org,
ck12.org, RegentsPrep.org, and PurpleMath.com. In addition, many online calculators can help
your student with the graphing demands of Algebra II without purchasing a graphing
calculator: Desmos.com and WolframAlpha.com are my personal favorites.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help your student succeed in Algebra II. I am happy
to answer questions about the class and the new curriculum at any time. Simply call or email me to discuss the
matter or to schedule an appointment. Thank you for taking the time to ensure your students success in Algebra II.
With a combined effort from students, parents, and myself, I am sure that each student will succeed in Algebra II.
To find out more about the Beyond Textbooks curriculum, please visit
http://beyondtextbooks.org/what-is-bt/.
For more information on Arizonas new College and Career Ready standards, please see
http://www.azed.gov/azccrs/.

Sincerely,


Sierra Lundberg

Email: slundberg@pageud.k12.az.us
Phone: (928) 608-4100 ext. 5417
Website: mslundberg.weebly.com