Algebra I

I am Mrs. Candice Zakariya, and I will be your math teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Since I was a young student, I have loved math, critical thinking and technology and I can wait to share that passion with you.

Contacting Me

As a part time teacher, I leave the campus every day before noon. If you have questions about your homework, it is best to email me at czakariya@selwynschool.com and I will do my best to check my email for messages until 5:00 pm Monday - Thursday.

Textbook

This year, we are using Texas Go Math text published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). It is a consumable text book, meaning that students can tear out pages as needed for classwork, homework, and some assessments. 

Grading

Your understanding of the material will be assessed through assignments, quizzes, exams, and your notebook entries. I have outlined below how I intend to weigh your grades.

·         Notebook/Quizzes/Labs 10%

·         Homework 40%

·         Tests 50%

Homework

Due to our short class period, you will be assigned daily homework. Daily assignments give you the opportunity to practice the concepts learned in class. This is an essential component of learning algebra.

I expect this to be turned in the day after assigned, unless I note an exception when assigning your work. Ten points will be deducted from your assignment’s grade for each day your work is late. Late work will not be accepted after the chapter exam. 

If you are having problems completing your work on time, or extenuating circumstances prevent you from finishing an assignment, let me know and we can work out an alternative schedule. 

You shouldn’t have more than 30 minutes of math homework in the evening, so if you find it is taking you longer to complete your assignments, please let me know so I can adjust accordingly.

In addition, I will publish our weekly schedule on our school portal RenWeb. You can refer to RenWeb to view upcoming assignments and grades as I will typically update your account weekly. 

Assessments

You will be given an assessment at the end of each chapter. Prior to the assessment, we will work through a unit review. Assessments are an important way for me to evaluate how well you have learned the material.

Absences from Class

If possible, please schedule your appointments on Fridays and your vacations during school breaks. Being absent from class makes your learning new skills all that more challenging. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to complete your make-up work. For each day you miss class, you have one day to complete missing work. 

I am always available to run through the lessons with you during my planning periods. 

If you are planning a long absence from school let me know. I can prepare your work ahead of time so you do not fall behind.

Use of Online Resources

You have access to a vast array of online resources that will solve your algebra problems for you and even show you the steps required. I caution you against relying on these sites. It’s nice to be able to check your work or get help when you find yourself stuck, but overuse of these sites will hinder your learning. 

Algebra is a skill you need to complete your high school level math and science classes. Without the necessary skills, you are going to find a future full of challenges you are not equipped to meet. Using the sites to check your work or to get help when I am not available is perfectly acceptable. Using the sites to complete your assignments is not.

Class Structure

Class lectures will occur in class. I can send recorded tutorials if you have lingering questions, would like a review, or miss class. You can request these at anytime.

Phone Use

Use of mobile phones is prohibited for all middle school students. If your parents need to reach you during class time, they can phone the front office and leave a message or text me (I will be giving them my cell number). If you bring a phone to school, it must remain in your locker. If you are caught using your cell phone, it will be given to the Head of Middle School (Mrs. Kinder) for the remainder of the day. Your parents will need to come in to retrieve your phone after school. You are allowed use of your cell phone after school.