The best way to contact me is email, julie@livingmath.net

Location: 6829 Millbrook Street, San Diego, CA 92120.

Classes are drop off. Suggested places to wait within 1.5 mile radius:

• Allied Gardens Park and Rec Center

• Benjamin Branch Library

• S3 Coffee Bar

See full Syllabus (printable .pdf) for all meeting dates and topical details.

HA2PC Key Dates 2023-25:

8/12, 13, 14: Text orientation review at home. BE SURE YOUR STUDENT does this review. We do not review much basic Algebra, so this foundation has to be solid to build Advanced Algebra concepts on.

8/13 New Students: Orientation to Canvas and Course Success coaching. Optional for continuing students.

8/15 First Class Day for everyone.

10/15 ZOOM class day, no in person

10/17 Independent Study (IS) Days with video lessons, no class

11/26 ZOOM class day, no in person

11/28, 29 Thanksgiving Holiday

12/19 Last class day of 2024 

12/20 – 1/2 Winter Break

1/7 No class, IS work assigned

1/9 First class day back 2025

2/17, 18, 19 President’s Day Holiday

4/11 – 4/20 Spring Break

5/29 Final Class Day

Grades final by June 2.

Every student must have current emergency contact information on file before the first day of class. Please fill out and submit this form

https://forms.gle/9QVvqbEaAxVHvZGH6

Your student’s assigned work and grades will all be in one place in Canvas, an online educational application.

If you provided a student email in your family registration, your student should check their email for an invitation to join Canvas. It is usually quite easy to join, however, I recommend that you be sure your student records their user information and password. A couple students did get locked out last year.

If no student email was provided, PLEASE SEND ME the email your student will be using for the year. It can be a family email, but keep in mind the email will be used for all student communications.

If you want to separately monitor your student's assignments and grades in Canvas, let me know and I can add you as an Observer linked to your student.

If you use Safari as your browser: Old versions of Safari may not work with Canvas. Installing and using Chrome as the browser for Canvas has resolved issues in every case I know of.

The PreClass Assignment will be posted on Canvas.

NO CURRICULUM purchase required. The text that will be loaned to your student to use is one edition earlier than the text Grossmont Community College uses for most Precalculus courses and is in the same series as most of their Calculus courses. Supplemental print materials provided to your student give scaffolding support and slower pacing, making the material accessible to adequately prepared high school students. Students going on to the full Calculus series in college may wish to purchase their own text to have as a reference.

A TI-83/84 series graphing calculator is highly recommended.
At a minimum, a student should have a scientific calculator. I do not recommend relying on a phone for a calculator. Students should be highly proficient and practiced at using the calculator series they will be using for their college placement exams, and mobile and/or internet enabled devices will not be permitted. If funds do not permit the purchase of a TI-83/84 series calculator, www.desmos.com may be used for homework.

Students should not be using phones as calculators. Not only do phones create a distraction, your student needs to be using a device that is allowed in standardized testing and/or college placement exams. Only non-internet calculators may be used for these exams, and proficiency with calculator use is a factor in how well students do on these exams.

An occasional absence can be made up, but this year will be significantly more challenging than previous years to keep up if a student misses more than one class in a row. Attendance has been the highest predictor of success in this class.

Overscheduling is the other primary reason prepared students do not do well in this class. Consistent follow-through with assigned work between classes and engagement during class discussions are also factors. Zoom participants are highly encouraged to turn their cameras on and participate as much as possible. I use a wired ethernet connection with upgraded internet speed to minimize technical issues on my end.

If at all possible, time your family vacations around dates we are not meeting to minimize missed class time. If a number of students in the class plan on participating in an out of town activity over class days, if I know this well in advance, I may be able make some syllabus changes that will make it easier for students to keep up with the class.

Strong basic Algebra skills are required. Algebra review if any will be at a quick pace as it is assumed students have mastered the content well enough in previous years to step up to the next level with a refresher.

I have posted recommended review resources here (Link to be provided)

These are optional, but if your student struggled with previous math courses, these can provide a low stress way to ease back into the Fall.

The week before class there will be a few days' assignment to begin working with three of the most important Prealgebra concepts applied in Algebra: fractions, integers (negative numbers) and basic equation solving skills.

Any questions, please email me at julie@livingmath.net.

Private HS families:

Fees are payable by:

Cash
Check
Venmo (Julie-Brennan-33)
Paypal - Bank Transfer option only, no credit card

Charter schools have different billing requirements - email me directly about this if it applies.

See https://www.livingmath.net/payment-and-discounts/ for payment terms.

If your student has not taken Algebra 2 yet, this class would be recorded as Algebra 2 on their high school transcript. It is optional, but if an Algebra 2 student chooses to invest approximately 20 - 25% extra time and effort to master the Precalculus level material, the benefit will be the option to go straight to Calculus at the Community College or an AP course without having to spend an extra year on Precalculus. Every year several of my students successfully do this. It is a decision based on the student’s motivation and eventual college goals. It will not negatively affect an Algebra 2 student’s grade if they choose to try the higher level material, it can only help their grade.

If an Algebra 2 student completes substantially ALL the Precalculus level material and receives a passing grade on the Precalculus exit exam at the end of the year, the one year course may be recorded as two courses on the transcript: Algebra 2 as a first semester course, Precalculus as the 2nd semester.

If your student has already recorded Algebra 2 on their transcript, this course may be recorded as Precalculus on their transcript. The Precalculus level material will be required if the family wishes it to be graded as a Precalculus course.

If after giving the class a few weeks you find it is not working well for your student, you may request a refund of a pro-rated amount of tuition paid for the semester. Loaned text must be returned in good condition.

After October 1st, the first semester tuition is non-refundable.

If your family moves away, your student has the option of continuing the class remotely.