Algebra

Just the very mention of math makes some people run for the hills. But for “Math Doctor” Ron Hartwell, it’s just another day in the classroom. Hartwell, owner of Glendale-based Math Doctor, tutors students from across the region — including Glendale, La Crescenta, La Cañada and Burbank — and specializes in making mathematics less intimidating. “Each student’s different,” Hartwell said as he sat in a booth at a Starbucks in Glendale, which sometimes doubles as one of his classrooms.

Kindergarten teacher Robyn Wisinski has been secretly teaching her students algebra. Using a color-coordinated number chart and a pointer, she led her 5- and 6-year-old students Wednesday as they counted by tens up to 80, then by ones up to 87 to represent the number of days the students have been at Edison Elementary School this year. Then came the excitement. “We’re almost at 100!” one student called out, prompting Wisinski to ask the class how many days were left until day 100. No one had an answer, but the students were learning algebraic principles, even simple ones, just by looking at the chart, she said.

GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Glendale's 2,569 ninth-grade students' Standardized Testing and Reporting scores Tables below represent: Subject / # of students taking the test / % of ninth grade students enrolled in each subject / % testing at proficient -- ALGEBRA I 1,255 48.9% 29% GEOMETRY 543 21.1% 48% ALGEBRA II 122 4.7% 44% BIOLOGY/ LIFE SCIENCES 1,510 58.8% 28% CHEMISTRY 25...

Gary Moskowitz Crescenta Valley High School senior Emily Parraguez has always struggled with math, and likes it the least of all her school subjects. A new California law that requires all high school students, starting with the Class of 2004, to complete Algebra I in order to graduate doesn't make Emily particularly happy, but it has forced her to improve at her least-favorite subject. The law was passed in 2000 and applies to all students, including special-education students, English learners and students enrolled in continuation schools, according to reports.

o7During spring 2005, 22,590 Glendale Unified School District students in grades 2 through 10 were tested out of a total enrollment of 22,672. These percentages represent the number of students who scored proficient or better in each subject. f7 -- Subject 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 English Language 50% 39% 56% 56% 57% 60% 52% 61% 50% 48% Arts Mathematics 66% 66% 59% 64% 62% 60% n/a n/a n/a n/a General mathematics n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 54% 37% n/a n/a Algebra I n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 89% 39% 13% 8% Geometry n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 97% 73% 41% 24% Algebra II n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 92% 64% 52% Summative High n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 91% 74% School Mathematics -- o7 10 or fewer were tested and could not be calculated into a percentage.

Deirdre Collins, a faculty member at Glendale Community College, has been elected to a three-year term on the Faculty Assn. of California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Her term begins July 1. The association is a 9,000-member, organization that advocates for the interests of the state's community college faculty. Collins has taught calculus and algebra at GCC for one year. She taught math at Victor Valley College in Victorville for three years and has been a member of the statewide association for three years.

Two R.D. White Elementary School fourth-grade students were honored Monday for winning Los Angeles County Math Field Day Awards, along with other students awarded ACE awards, for receiving 94% and higher for three trimesters. Chris Canlas and Ryan Gu were selected from 80 top fourth-grade math students to represent Glendale at the Los Angeles County Math Field Day. They won medals for sixth place in the activity category, seventh place in Number Sense, sixth place for Algebra and Functions, seventh place for Measurement and Geometry, sixth place for Statistics and Probability and sixth place for Data Analysis.

Alecia Foster SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- Clark Magnet High School is inviting parents to an informational meeting Saturday to discuss sending their students to the school. The application period for the school has begun and will continue until Feb. 23. The magnet school emphasizes science and technology and is open to students who live in the district, are attending a public, private or parochial school and are eligible to begin ninth grade in the fall.

Alecia Foster NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- The first of a series of parent information meetings on enrolling at Clark Magnet High School will begin tonight at Toll Middle School. Applications for Clark are available at the high school and at Glendale Unified School District's four middle schools. The magnet school emphasizes science and technology and is open to students who live in the district, are attending a public, private or parochial school and are eligible to begin ninth grade in the fall.

Alecia Foster SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- A parent information meeting on enrolling at Clark Magnet High School will be held at Roosevelt Middle School Thursday. Applications for Clark are available at the high school and at Glendale Unified School District's four middle schools. The magnet school emphasizes science and technology and is open to students who live in the district, are attending a public, private or parochial school and are eligible to begin ninth grade in the fall.