A Letter to Parents

A Letter to Parents

Dear Parent,

Hello. I am Glenn Jones and I will be teaching your daughter/son AP Physics this year. Physics is pure pleasure for me, so I am delighted to be teaching this course. This begins my twenty-second year as a teacher at Providence High School, and I feel very fortunate to be working at such a fine school. My background is as follows. I am originally from Great Falls, SC -- about fifty miles south of Charlotte on I-77. I have degrees in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (M.S., ’95) and from Clemson University (B.S., ’91). My wife, Alicia, my two sons, Clark and Luke, and my beagle, Daisy, all live with me in Waxhaw. I enjoy sports, the outdoors, reading, and live music.

I have several goals as a teacher. I plan not only to prepare the student thoroughly for the AP Physics exam in May 2018, but also for related studies in science and math beyond high school. At the same time I hope to make this course interesting, fun, and relevant to life. Most importantly, I intend to raise students’ confidence in, and appreciation for, learning.

Please visit my website for details on the structure and content of the course. You can help your son or daughter do well in this class in some simple ways. Keep up with their progress. All assignment due dates will be posted at my course website:

http://gljones.cmswiki.wikispaces.net

This should eliminate any mystery about homework. In addition to checking grades online through the PowerSchool system, you might ask your child to see actual quizzes, homework sets, and lab reports -- especially early each semester. It is much easier to maintain a high initial average than it is to raise a low initial average. Encourage consistent performance on homework; discourage procrastination. The course guide contains policies specific to my class. You can be certain that I will give your child the same treatment, the same opportunities, and the same encouragement as any other child. Please sign the course guide given to your child on the first day of class to indicate that you have read it and accept the course policies.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to arrange a conference with me at any time, please email me at to ensure the quickest response. Also, feel free to call the front desk of our school if you would prefer to leave me a phone message; the school’s main office number is 980-343-5390. My planning period is the 3rd block of each day (which runs from 10:37 to 12:07), so expect to hear back from me within 24 hours of that interval.

I look forward to a rewarding year for all -- students, parents, and teachers. If there is anything I can do to improve your daughter’s/son’s experience in my class, please let me know.

Sincerely,

A.  Glenn Jones