FCAT Math - 2008/09 Semester 2

Dear Sir/Madam,

I will be working with your child this semester to facilitate their passing the FCAT Math examination next February - March.  I realize that this has to be a joint venture between myself, yourself and your child if we are to be successful.

The course is highly individualized and technology based.  The aim is to diagnose your child's weak areas in Math and reteach it with great emphasis on practical applications and the use of instruments (rulers, tape measures, protractors, clocks etc.) to give the student a practical grasp of Math concepts.  

The areas of study include FCAT Strand A (Number Sense, Concepts, and Operations), Strand B (Measurement), Strand C (Geometry and Spatial Sense), Strand D (Algebraic Thinking), and Strand E (Data Analysis and Probability).  We will be using the Internet-based programs Ascend and FCAT Explorer along with others.  Ascend diagnoses where your child's weak areas are and gives lessons in these areas.  A post-test is then given which has to be passed (at 60 or 70%) to move on to the next lesson.  If the Pre-test is passed the student is immediately moved to the next Pre-test.  If the student does not pass the Post-test after 3 tries they should sit with me during class or after school so that I can teach them the lesson.

FCAT Explorer is a program that is made available by the Department of Education.  It gives your child practice in solving as many FCAT level problems as they need to.  

You can keep abreast of every event in the class by keeping an eye on the class' web site (www.tagt.biz and then click on Lakewood High School-FCAT Math).  Links to FCAT Explorer and Ascend can be found in the left hand column of this page.  Please encourage your child to work on these regularly at home.  Computers are also available in this room (B212), in the library, or anywhere else as long as the computer can get to the Internet.  Both programs give you reports on their progress. You can also keep track of exactly what his/her scores are and what work may be missing by using the ParentConnect web site. You can contact me by e-mail at thompsonty@pcsb.org, or by phone at 727-422-2150 between 1:20 and 5:00 PM on weekdays.

I am confident that with all of us working together, your child will pass the FCAT Math this year with a level 3, 4, or 5.  As you may know, passing Grade 10 FCAT Math is required for graduation from high school.

Please be kind enough to detach, sign and return the section below.

Thank you.

Yours Respectfully,

Tyrone A. G. Thompson.

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