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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]So kids who have already taken Algebra 2 just take Functions and have some review?[/quote]

No you have to be invited to functions.  Lots of kids who have had Algebra II take precalc.  Some kids  in precalc even drop to Magnet Geometry if  they struggle.  There is usually 1 Geometry class, 2 precalc classes and 1  functions class.[/quote]

I’m a little bit confused. Sounds like my kid who, at the home HS, would take Honors Precalc in 9th and BC Calc in 10th, could actually end up a semester behind that path by going to Blair?  To be honest, I don’t really care when they learn Calc. It just seems kind of weird. [/quote]

Yes, it does. But even those who have finished algebra 2 at the home HS might find it useful to do magnet precalculus, generally speaking. I don't believe it is just a combination of non-magnet algebra 2 and non-magnet precalculus. I think they also go deeper (at least that used to be the case); you should check with the magnet coordinator or the math teachers.

There is the option of magnet functions (one year) instead of magnet precalculus, but it is not for everyone. Functions is not a generic precalculus course designed for kids who have finished non-magnet algebra 2 before they come to the SMCS magnet. It is intended for kids who are really advanced, and want to (and can) take a course that combines algebra 2 and precalculus - the exact same magnet precalculus course - in a year. The class moves really fast with a lot less handholding, and here is the key thing: the assessments reflect this expectation. For example, if the same quiz is given in both magnet precalculus and magnet functions, functions students will have less time to finish it - say, may be 40-45 minutes instead of an hour. So even if some content is familiar, the assessments related to that content may be taxing. And for the content that is new, the course may spend a lot less time than what most kids need.

But if you take into account the other things that the students get to do,  - finishing one credit of physics (content equivalent to AP physics 1) in one semester, one credit of chemistry in one semester, the extra (8th) period, etc. - this one extra semester spent in precalculus is really not that big a deal. Especially considering that even the kids that do the three semester magnet precalculus can go all the way up multivariate calculus.

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