Algebra I

Algebra I is the foundation of every higher mathematics course. In this studio, scholars become Mathematical Architects — they learn to recognize patterns, model real-world change, and build the equations that describe it. We progress from quantities and sequences, to linear and exponential functions, to systems, and finally to quadratics, moving fluently among tables, graphs, equations, and words.

The course is built on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Algebra I and uses the TEA Bluebonnet Learning — Secondary Mathematics framework. The seven mathematical process standards (A.1A–A.1G) are embedded in every lesson. Because the State of Texas STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) exam is administered in early May, the course is deliberately front-loaded so that quadratics — the final and most demanding module — are completed before the exam, leaving the closing weeks for targeted review and applied projects.

1. Build with precision. Show your work, use correct notation, and label your representations. A mathematician's reasoning should be readable by anyone.
2. Struggle productively. Effort before answers. Attempt the problem, reason aloud with your team, and treat mistakes as the data that move us forward.
3. Respect the studio. Honor the learning of every scholar — arrive ready, listen actively, and keep our space and materials in order.

We use a small, focused set of tools. Scholars receive logins during the first week.

ParentSquare is the primary channel for announcements, reminders, and direct messages. Families are encouraged to enable notifications. Beta Academy is a no-cell-phone campus; scholars are not reachable by personal phone during the school day, so ParentSquare and email are the fastest ways to reach the instructor.

To confirm that families have reviewed this syllabus, a short syllabus pop-quiz is delivered in the Assessment Center during the first two weeks. It is open-syllabus and counts toward the scholar's grade.

Mathematics is a discipline of honest reasoning. Scholars are expected to submit their own work and to show the thinking behind every answer. Copying another scholar's work, sharing answers during an assessment, or using an outside source (including AI tools) to produce work represented as one's own is a violation of academic integrity and follows Beta Academy's discipline policy. Collaboration is encouraged in Build Teams; assessments are individual.

• Entering: Pick up materials, begin the warm-up at the Drafting Table immediately.
• Notebooks: Date every entry; keep work in pencil; nothing is erased and thrown away — mistakes are part of the record.
• Asking for help: Ask your Build Team first, then signal the instructor. Three before me.
• Transitions: Move between zones quickly and quietly when called.
• Dismissal: The instructor dismisses the class, not the bell. Studio is left build-ready.

Families are partners in the studio. The most helpful things you can do: ask your scholar to explain a concept to you (teaching is the best test of understanding), confirm the interactive notebook is current, watch ParentSquare for checkpoint and grading-period updates, and reach out early if something feels off. Conferences can be scheduled by appointment at any point in the year.

Every graded assignment this year lives in the Assessment Center. Chapter assessments, Do Nows, exit tickets, graphic organizers, and labs are all assigned, completed, and scored there. If it counts toward your grade, that is where it is.

Scores appear in your portal once I release them. A missing score usually means I have not released that assignment yet — not that your work vanished.

If you have an IEP or a 504 plan, you receive every accommodation in that plan. All of it. Automatically. Extended time, read-aloud, dictation, reduced question sets — whatever your plan names. This is your legal right. It is not a favor, it is not something you have to ask me for, and it does not depend on how busy I am. You never have to justify it or thank me for it. It is simply how this class runs.

How it works in the Assessment Center:

• Extended time is applied to the timer for you. On a timed assessment the countdown is already lengthened before you start. You do not click anything.
• Reduced question sets are applied automatically when your plan includes them.
• Read-aloud, speech-to-text, large text, high contrast, a dyslexia-friendly font, wider line spacing, and a reading focus guide are in the accessibility menu and are available to every scholar, plan or no plan. Use them freely.
• Bilingual glossary and Spanish translation are enabled through your plan rather than the accessibility menu.

Two practical notes so nothing surprises you. First, the portal lengthens timers; it does not by itself move a due date. If extended time on assignments is part of your plan, that is honored too — come see me so we set the date together rather than assuming the system did it. Second, if an accommodation does not appear when you start an assignment, tell me the same day. That is mine to fix, not yours to work around.

You sign in with your class period, your Scholar alias, and your own 8-character PIN (letters and numbers, for example B7K2M9RD). You never use your real name and never a shared password. The first time, you set the PIN yourself — using either a one-time setup code from me or an open enrollment window for your period. I will tell you which applies on day one.

• Write it in your planner and your AVID binder the moment you create it.
• Never share it. Anything submitted under your PIN counts as your work, and you are responsible for it.
• Do not reuse a password from Google, school, or social media.
• Five wrong tries locks the account for a few minutes. That lock is protecting you; the site is not broken.

Retakes are requested in the portal — not verbally, not in the hallway, not by email.

1. Sign in to the Assessment Center.
2. Open the Retake tab in the top toolbar. It is always there; you do not need a particular score to unlock it.
3. Choose Standard or Special. Special asks for a category: illness, family emergency, concept gap, mastery push, or other.
4. Choose the assignment type, then tick the assignment(s) — between 1 and 10 in one request.
5. Name the root cause: what actually went wrong.
6. Write your reflection and commitment — study hours, the one thing you will do differently, and what support you need. A few words will not be accepted.
7. Tick the ownership box and Submit.

How you learn the outcome. The My Retake Requests panel in the Retake tab lists every request and its status: pending, approved, or denied. An approved request shows my terms — time limit, score cap, how many days you have — plus a note. A denied one shows my reason. You also get a bell notification. The panel does not refresh by itself; reload the tab.

• Standard retakes are limited to one per grading period. After that, the Standard option locks and you must file under Special.
• An approved retake may carry a score cap. You will see that number before you start.
• A retake replaces the work it was approved for. It is your real attempt, not a free extra try. Study first.
• Filing the same request twice does nothing.

A regrade is not a retake. A retake means “let me attempt this again.” A regrade means “I think one question was scored wrong” — open the graded result, find the question, and tap Request Regrade. A regrade never changes a score by itself; it changes only after I review it. You get one regrade request per question, ever, even if I deny it. Do not spend it on a question you have not re-checked.

Locked assessments watch for tab switching. Switching away warns you; doing it again asks for a teacher password; continuing voids the attempt. A voided attempt burns an attempt and freezes you out until I review it in person. Most assessments allow one attempt. Stay in the tab.