Oak Forest High School

Bremen High School District #228

15201 S. Central Avenue

Oak Forest, IL 60452

708-687-0500 x3717 ·Fax 708-687-059

August 22, 2017

My name is Mrs. Dawn Sasek and your son/daughter is enrolled in either my Honors Chemistry or A.P. biology class this semester. I am looking forward to an exciting year. It is my goal to provide all students with an educationally challenging, yet fun experience in my classroom. A.P Biology and Honors Chemistry are both FUN and challenging courses.

•  If your child is taking A.P. Biology, please note that this is an elective course offered to students who wish to be challenged by taking on a university level class. It is recommended that students have completed honors physics and honors chemistry prior to enrollment, although this option may be waived with parent permission. Students should expect to do at least one hour of homework per night, including weekends. This class covers TWO SEMESTERS of university level biology PLUS a laboratory session. It is a very exciting course, covers much material and will definitely prepare your child for college level science. Students who pass the AP Exam (sponsored by the College Board) may receive one full year of university credit at most institutions, depending upon their passing score. (This varies by university). Please see course syllabus posted online for details. All notes, practice quizzes, tutorials and links can be found online on my Schoology account.

•  If your child is enrolled in Honors Chemistry, please note that it is recommended that your child has completed honors mathematics prior to entering the course but may be bypassed. The course is quite different from regular chemistry in that a strong math background is beneficial for student success. Although students will receive practice problems for homework, only a 10% or less of their grade will be derived from homework. What happens in class time (labs, discussions and quizzes) will make up over 90% of their grade so ATTENDANCE IS KEY!! . All notes, practice tests and quizzes and tutorials can be found online on my Schoology account. You and your child will receive access codes for this account.

•  There is a new push in education to provide students online access to videos, interactive lessons and links. Being an “old-school” teacher who is acclimated to textbooks and paper trails, this is a challenge for me!! :) To keep up with the changing educational arena, your child will receive an online Schoology account and a FREE blog site associated with my class. On the first day of class, your child will be asked to register for the free access. Once your child registers, each parent will receive a code linked with your child’s information and you may track your child’s involvement in the online homework, practice quizzes and discussion sessions. (There is an APP that sends alerts to your phone of upcoming assignments if you choose to activate.) If your child does not have access to the internet at home, please contact me so we can set up a system that works for your child.

Your child will soon bring home a copy of my class safety and syllabus contract. I have written this contract to ensure that both the students and their parents understand how this course will run. (The syllabus is also posted online). Each student is required to obtain a 3-ring spiral binder (minimum 1 1/2”), a calculator with functions (TI-34 or better) and black pen, red pen and #2 pencil. No need to purchase any other items for now unless specifically associated with a project.

I have high expectations for my students. Science and technology play a huge role in modern society and it is my goal to help them understand how science fits into their everyday lives. I am asking for your help in maintaining those expectations by checking the website access codes to track their homework progress along with the school’s own account. I run an open classroom. If you would like to schedule a time to visit the class and/or perform a guest-speaking activity if you are associated wtih a science-related field, this is welcomed and encouraged!! The best method of contacting me is by email or through REMIND although I do have a voice mail as well. Please feel free to contact me via any of these methods. Thank you and I look forward to a positive year!!

Sincerely,

Dawn Sasek

email: voicemail: 708-687-0500 x3717