Course Welcome Letter
September 3, 2014
Welcome to Honors Chemistry!
Dear Student Chemists and Parents,
Hello and welcome to the 2014 – 2015 school year at Hampton Bays High School! I am Miss Valenti and I will be your chemistry teacher for the upcoming school year. My goal is to wow you with the wonders of chemistry and to help you understand how chemistry is involved in each and every day of our lives. Ultimately, I would like you to learn to love chemistry as much as I do!
In order to start the year off right, I would like to ask you to let your curiosity wander – keep your mind open. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially “why?!” and always delve deeper into the situation. Wonder how and why things work the way they do and why things change. Together we will explore the world around us. I appreciate when students ask questions, relate class topics to their experiences, and share relevant science news with the class. We are all always learning – including me – and I look forward to all of us learning from each other.
In order to succeed in chemistry this year and to get the most out of the class, I ask you to complete assignments to the best of your ability, participate in class discussions, and complete all of the required lab activities. Please note: New York State mandates that each student must complete 1200 minutes of laboratory work in order to sit for the Chemistry Regents Exam on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. All lab work must be submitted by Friday, June 5, 2015.
Parents/guardians should expect their child to bring home two documents on the first day of school that are due back with a parent or guardian’s signature no later than Friday, September 5, 2014. These are the syllabus and the safety contract. The syllabus outlines my expectations, required materials, types of assignments you should expect, and my grading policy. The safety contract outlines exactly how students should dress and behave in a lab environment. Student chemists will not be permitted to work in the lab until the safety contract has been signed.
I believe that parents are an integral part to a student’s learning experience. I update the Parent Portal on a regular basis (at least every Friday) and will be sending correspondence home throughout the school year. If at any time you have a comment, question, or concern please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or by calling (631) 723-2110 ext. 3308. Also included with this letter are instructions to join Remind through which you will receive regular updates about the class including any homework, upcoming due dates for labs and projects, and upcoming tests and quizzes. I invite all parents, guardians, and students to join.
I look forward to a fun and exciting year!
Sincerely,
Miss Marybeth Valenti
Required Materials:
* Scientific calculators will also be available in class.
** Chemistry Reference tables will be handed out to each student during the first week of school.
Welcome to Honors Chemistry!
Dear Student Chemists and Parents,
Hello and welcome to the 2014 – 2015 school year at Hampton Bays High School! I am Miss Valenti and I will be your chemistry teacher for the upcoming school year. My goal is to wow you with the wonders of chemistry and to help you understand how chemistry is involved in each and every day of our lives. Ultimately, I would like you to learn to love chemistry as much as I do!
In order to start the year off right, I would like to ask you to let your curiosity wander – keep your mind open. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially “why?!” and always delve deeper into the situation. Wonder how and why things work the way they do and why things change. Together we will explore the world around us. I appreciate when students ask questions, relate class topics to their experiences, and share relevant science news with the class. We are all always learning – including me – and I look forward to all of us learning from each other.
In order to succeed in chemistry this year and to get the most out of the class, I ask you to complete assignments to the best of your ability, participate in class discussions, and complete all of the required lab activities. Please note: New York State mandates that each student must complete 1200 minutes of laboratory work in order to sit for the Chemistry Regents Exam on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. All lab work must be submitted by Friday, June 5, 2015.
Parents/guardians should expect their child to bring home two documents on the first day of school that are due back with a parent or guardian’s signature no later than Friday, September 5, 2014. These are the syllabus and the safety contract. The syllabus outlines my expectations, required materials, types of assignments you should expect, and my grading policy. The safety contract outlines exactly how students should dress and behave in a lab environment. Student chemists will not be permitted to work in the lab until the safety contract has been signed.
I believe that parents are an integral part to a student’s learning experience. I update the Parent Portal on a regular basis (at least every Friday) and will be sending correspondence home throughout the school year. If at any time you have a comment, question, or concern please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or by calling (631) 723-2110 ext. 3308. Also included with this letter are instructions to join Remind through which you will receive regular updates about the class including any homework, upcoming due dates for labs and projects, and upcoming tests and quizzes. I invite all parents, guardians, and students to join.
I look forward to a fun and exciting year!
Sincerely,
Miss Marybeth Valenti
Required Materials:
- 3-ring binder with dividers
- Pens and/or pencils
- Scientific Calculator*
- Chemistry Reference Tables**
- 4-pack of dry erase markers (for class use)
* Scientific calculators will also be available in class.
** Chemistry Reference tables will be handed out to each student during the first week of school.