Dear Parent/Guardian:

I am looking forward to working with your child in chemistry or biology class during this school year.  Science is a fascinating area.  I will strive to challenge your child to achieve his/her potential, to pass on my passion for the subject matter, and to get to know your child’s interests outside of the classroom.  I believe that it is important to maintain open lines of communication with parents/guardians in order to ensure the success of students in the classroom.  Thus, I want to introduce myself and to provide an overview of biology class.

The structure of the class is a mixture of lecture, discussion, demonstration, and small group activities.  My goal is for students to gain an understanding of the living and physical world through a variety of learning activities.   Participation in classroom activities and completion of homework assignments are expected. Regardless of whether or not a formal homework assignment is given, it is highly recommended students review his/her notes every night.  Data shows that students retain new material better when reviewed multiple times over a seven-day period.  This data also shows students retain the least amount of information when given only lecture and reading styles of teaching (5%-10%).  I fill my class with activities, discussion, practice, and ability to teach others in small groups in order to support all of my students and to ensure complete mastery of the material.  The course will be divided into several units of study.  For biology these include science skills, ecosystem interactions, Earth’s atmosphere, evidence of common ancestry and diversity, DNA inheritance of traits, cell structure and function, and ecosystem stability and climate change.  And chemistry these are: science skills, experimental skills, metric system, periodic table, molecule patterns and shapes, bonding, energy, nomenclature, and stoichiometry. 

About myself: I hail from the Midwest and South (North Vernon, Indiana and Shelbyville, Kentucky).  I have had many careers and lived in many cities all over the world.  I have always had a passion for science and healthcare.  I became an EMT in 1999, working on an ambulance until I took a job in the Emergency Department in Columbus, Indiana in 2006.  In 2008, I got married and moved to the Sacramento area.  I attended Sacramento State University and received my Bachelors of Science in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology and a minor in Chemistry.  I then started working in a diagnostic laboratory for animals as a microbiologist.  I worked with veterinarians in private practice as well as in zoos and sanctuaries in order to diagnose and find the best treatment for the animal.  Although I found the work rewarding, I was still missing something.  I decided to attend the University of Southern California and work toward my Masters in Teaching degree.  I received my degree in May 2018 and was recommended for my California teaching credential by USC.  I continue to live in the Sacramento area with my husband and our four dogs. 

Again, I am excited to have your child in biology or chemistry this year.  I have high expectations for both my students and myself.  Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress in biology class via email (ryountgregory@fcusd.org).