Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to Harmony School of Innovation-Sugar Land.  As counselors, it is our job to monitor and guide students academic decisions to ensure they will have the best possible outcome.  During our 8th grade course selection, we noticed an increase in the number of students who wish to take Algebra II during their Freshman year.

While we are excited to see our students motivated to take on challenging courses, we would like to offer a few suggestions prior to you and your student making a huge commitment at a pivotal time in your child’s academic career.  

There are very few high school students who take Algebra II as freshmen.  Students who choose to take Algebra II as freshmen, are students who have a strong mathematical foundation.  These students generally score in the 90th percentile on the PSAT and have a strong teacher recommendation.  

Taking Geometry during the summer is a challenge. The course covers a large amount of material over a short period of time. Students will miss key information that will cause difficulty in more advanced math courses.  If your child does not have a strong mathematical foundation, a summer course can be very difficult for them.   

Prior to enrolling in any summer math course, please speak with your child’s teacher.  Ask them if you can look at a Geometry book, and see if you understand the first few chapters.  Determine if you are a strong independent learner since the majority of these courses will be offered online.  Ask your teacher if he/she thinks you will be able to handle the course load. 

Doubling Up in Algebra II & Geometry

Strong Math students may opt to take Geometry as a co-requisite. Algebra II and Geometry can be studied concurrently. Students who wish to double up in this manner must have 

• A minimum grade of 90% (A) or higher in all previous math courses, 
• A minimum 85% average on PSAT Math, 
• A TSI/TSIA Math passing score, and 
• A recommendation letter from a previous math teacher.  

Doubling up is not required and not recommended by the Math Department, particularly in a student’s Freshmen year. Students are encouraged to explore their passions and interests by taking electives. Students have the option to double up their math courses in the following cases:

• Algebra II and Geometry in Freshmen year
• Algebra II and Geometry in in Sophomore year

If students would like to double-up, students are encouraged to wait to double up their Sophomore year. Students are expected to take a math course each year, even if they choose to take two math classes in one year.

Doubling Up in Algebra II & Geometry Appeal Form

NOTE:

1. No submissions will be accepted AFTER the deadlines.
2. It is the students’/ parents/guardians` responsibility to ensure that all required information/documentation is provided and the request forms are complete.
3. Please do NOT submit any documents via emails. The requests that are sent by emails or handed to any school staff will NOT be considered

UT Texas Online High School is the only online high school we accept original credits for Geometry from outside of HSI-Sugar Land.  Here is the link for you to register for a class over summer if you wish:

Please note: If you double up, your program must be able to fit within the confines of a school day without the need to postpone any required courses. Required courses may not be postponed to make space for an elective course.

High school grades are important, you want to do the best  that you can so that you can get into college.. Please keep in mind we do NOT include outside classes into the GPA but they can be used for advancement if you get a certain grade and pass a placement test. It’s important to know the policy at HSI-Sugar Land, especially if you take Geometry over the summer, and don’t do well, will both grades go into your GPA.

Starting with the Class of 2021 and beyond (freshman and sophomore during 2018-19 year), all high school credit courses -including dual and online (excluding credit recovery purposes*) – taken outside of Harmony Public Schools in summer will be awarded credit but not receive points on the GPA calculation.

*Both attempted credits (failed and recovery) will receive points on the GPA.

Students are required to take four years of math for admission to any college or university.  On our campus we offer the following math courses:

• Algebra I
• Geometry
• Algebra II
• Pre-Calculus 
• Calculus AB AP
• Calculus BC AP
• Statistics

If you are not good at math you may wish to consider your math pathway prior to enrolling in Geometry in the summer.  If you do not wish to take any of the Calculus courses in your senior year, then it might not be a good idea to take Geometry in the summer. 

We as a counseling team are here to support you and your child during their time here at Harmony.  We want to ensure that we are providing the best possible high school experience to your child. If you would like to speak with a counselor prior to making any decisions, please check our HSI-Sugar Land College & Career Counseling Website and find your child’s counselor.  They will be more than happy to help you make the right decision for you and your child.

Thank you,

HSI-Sugar Land College & Career Counseling Department

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Here are the resources for you to register for a recovery class over summer if you wish: