Dear Parent/Guardian,
Greenville County middle schools will be using a student-centered blended mathematics curriculum for the 2026-2027 school year. GCS has partnered with McGraw Hill for a task-based math program and software to fully implement both South Carolina College and Career Ready Math content and process standards.
McGraw Hill offers blended math (consumable text and Aleks software) offers the most successful math program in the nation: they have researched how students think, learn, and apply new knowledge in math, and then crafted materials that play to each student’s learning needs. By constantly developing new ways for students to learn, McGraw Hill ensures that students achieve greater success and improved math scores.
The initial textbook Book A, your child will receive is theirs to keep. There is space for writing, sketching, drawing, cutting, pasting, and constructing new mathematical ideas. Students may want to highlight key terms, take notes in the margins, or even doodle on the cover. They can make it their own! Textbook volume 2 (Book B) will be a hardback textbook issued to students which will need to be returned at the end of the school year. This is not a book students should write in.
Throughout the lessons, students will build new knowledge based on their prior knowledge. They will apply math to real-world situations so that they can see why it’s meaningful. If students need additional practice, they can find it in Aleks Software, the Assignment Pages or the Skills Practice pages available in your child’s portal and Student Backpack.
Today’s workplace demands teamwork and self-confidence. McGraw Hill designed the Math Series to help students to make the most of their math courses. In the classroom, students will be encouraged to work together in pairs or in groups because it gets students talking about their insights. Everyone will share his or her ideas and thoughts in class - Learning by Doing® and mathematical discourse/accountable talk.
You may find this new textbook to be different from what you are used to, but it’s for all the good reasons described above. McGraw HIll knows you want to help your child be successful in math class, and supports and encourages involvement in your child’s learning.
Tips for a successful year:
Make sure your child is at school every day. Class discussions and opportunities to explore problems with classmates cannot be reproduced.
Help your child find a place and time for homework. Stick with this routine every day. The homework may be the lesson-specific from the student text (Assignment Page), Skills Practice, and/or software practice on Aleks
When assisting with homework:
Help your child make sense of the problem by asking them questions (find out what they know about the problem and what they are trying to figure out). o
Encourage your child to use problem-solving strategies (draw a picture, act it out, work backward, guess and check, use simple numbers at first, etc.)
If you have classroom-specific questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Accelerated Math 8/Geometry with Statistics Syllabus - Northwood Middle School
Room: 807
Phone: 355 - 7022
Email Address: jaramsey@greenville.k12.sc.us
McGraw HIll
Aleks student software
Course Description
Geometry with Statistics (GS) is the first required course in high school mathematics. It builds on the students’ experience in the middle grades. GS is a prerequisite to Algebra 1. Students incorporate knowledge and skills from several mathematics content areas, leading to a deeper understanding of fundamental relationships within the discipline and see the applicability of mathematics to prepare more effectively for further studies in Algebra 1. Students build on and deepen prior understanding of transformations, congruence, similarity, and coordinate geometry concepts. Informal explorations of transformations provide a foundation for more formal considerations of congruence and similarity, including development of criteria for triangle congruence and similarity. An emphasis on reasoning throughout the content area promotes exploration, conjecture testing, and informal and formal justification. The course also focuses on statistics in analyzing data.
Course Outline/Pacing/Scope and Sequence
Textbook Title
McGraw-Hill: South Carolina Reveal Math, Course 3, Accelerated, Volumes 1 & 2
Annotated Book List
N/A
Wired headphones or earbuds - required
2 (one blue, one white)-1.5 inch binders with pockets
8 pack of dividers with pockets
2 packs of lined paper: 1 for each binder already inside
1 pack of highlighters
2 rolls of paper towels
2 pencil pouches with holes (1 for each binder)
Pencils, pens, markers or colored pencils in each pencil pouch
Graph paper
Grading Policy/Practices (This follows the district assessment guidelines for minimum)
Report card grades will consist of: 60% major assignments and 40% minor assignments. There will be at least 3 major assignments and at least 8 minor assignments per quarter. Major assignments consist of tests and projects. Minor assignments consist of homework, quizzes, and class work.
Late Work Procedures
Students are expected to complete and submit all assigned major and minor assignments. Major assessments and assignments are considered required course assignments.
Work Missed Due to Student Absence (MDA)
Student work missed because of an absence should be completed within five (5) days after the student's return to school. The student is responsible for communicating with each teacher to obtain missed assignments. All assignments missed due to an absence will be recorded in the gradebook as MDA (Missing Due to Absence). An MDA is calculated as a zero and will impact the student's overall grade until the assignment is submitted and graded. Students are allowed a maximum of five (5) school days after returning to school to complete make-up work. Once the assignment is submitted and graded, the MDA code will be replaced with the earned grade. If work is not submitted within the allotted timeframe and no alternative arrangements have been approved, the zero will remain in the gradebook.
Late Work (NHI)
Minor assignments that are permitted to be completed outside of class and are not submitted by the due date will be recorded in the gradebook as NHI (Not Handed In). An NHI indicates that the assignment has not been submitted and temporarily calculates as a zero in the gradebook. Students may submit late minor assignments for full credit within five (5) school days of the original due date. If the assignment has not been submitted by the sixth school day after the due date, the NHI code will be replaced with a permanent zero in the gradebook. Failure to complete assigned work may result in the loss of reward privileges and participation in specially planned grade-level events. In-Class Assignments The late work and make-up work policy does not apply to assignments that are intended to be completed entirely during the assigned class period.
Redo/Retake/Revision Procedures
MAJOR ASSESSMENT RETAKE POLICY At Northwood Middle School, we believe learning is a process and that students should have meaningful opportunities to demonstrate mastery of grade level standards. Students are encouraged to prepare for and perform their best on the original assessment through active participation in class, completion of practice and minor assignments, and engagement in teacher-provided learning opportunities. NEW: When a student has not reached their desired level of mastery a Take Two, or second opportunity, will be provided for each major assessment.
Expectations
Take Two opportunities are available only for major assessments.
Students who are absent for a major assessment will complete the assessment in accordance with the Northwood Middle School Make-Up Work Policy and are not considered to have used their Take Two opportunity.
Teachers maintain professional discretion regarding the format of the reassessment while ensuring it measures the same learning standards as the original assessment. Our goal is to hold students to high expectations while providing intentional opportunities for learning, reflection, and growth. The Take Two process is designed to reinforce that mastery is the expectation, and that perseverance and effort are valued as students continue to develop their understanding. Students and parents may request a retake, redo, or revision of an eligible major assessment.
To qualify, the student must:
● Submit the school’s Retake/Redo Request Form within five school days of the grade being posted.
● Have submitted all minor assignments associated with the instructional unit.
● Complete teacher-directed remediation or relearning before reassessment.
● Coordinate the reassessment with the teacher during an agreed-upon intervention time. TAKE TWO STUDENT-INITIATED REQUEST FORM Common Expectations
● Only major assessments are eligible for retake, redo, or revision.
● All reassessments must be completed by the end of the grading period in which the original assessment was assigned.
● Students must complete teacher-directed remediation or relearning before reassessment.
● The teacher and student will coordinate the reassessment during an agreed-upon intervention time, such as before school, FLEX, lunch, or after school.
● An alternate assessment or revised learning task may be used to demonstrate mastery of the same standards measured by the original assessment.
● The highest score earned will replace the previous score in the gradebook.
Classroom Expectations
While in my classroom, I expect students to follow guidelines set forth in the Student Handbook. Please review the section regarding the discipline policy and procedures along with any additional information sent home by the administration. Each student deserves the most positive educational climate possible for academic growth, therefore, this plan will be in effect at all times. I believe that life-long success depends on self-discipline. This plan offers every student the opportunity to manage his/her own behavior. Students are also expected to abide by classroom guidelines that are discussed in class and are posted in the classroom.
Magic School
This year, students will use MagicSchool AI, a generative AI platform designed specifically for education. As tools like ChatGPT and Gemini become standard in the professional world, utilizing MagicSchool prepares students for the future workforce by teaching safe and responsible technology use.
Students will use these tools for real-time feedback and dynamic problem-solving. To ensure appropriate use, teachers retain access to all student chats. MagicSchool strictly protects privacy and does not collect or utilize student data. All AI software, including MagicSchool, complies with GCS Board Policy and Administrative Rule IA.
Generative AI
This course may utilize generative AI tools, such as MagicSchool and Google Gemini, to supplement traditional instruction. Greenville County Schools prioritizes the ethical use of these technologies for brainstorming and self-guided learning.
Critical Thinking First: AI must not replace original thought or coursework.
Academic Integrity: Using AI to complete and submit assignments as original work constitutes plagiarism.
Required Citation: If teacher-approved, all AI use must be properly cited.
Content Awareness: Students must remain vigilant regarding potential biases and inaccuracies in AI-generated content.
Policy Compliance: All AI programs align with GCS Board Policy and Administrative Rule IA.