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Bloom Local Classes

Advanced High School Math—Live Online

Algebra 2 • Precalculus • Calculus BC

Access honors-level math classes from anywhere with an internet connection! Offered live via Zoom audio-visual conferencing with Owl Labs technology, upper-level BLOOM classes are designed to well-equip students for success in any field.

High school BLOOM classes are suitable both for students with post-high-school STEM-track college and career plans and also for students who may not be heading toward STEM careers but who value a well-rounded education and desire to understand God’s creation more deeply.

BLOOM instructors are top-notch math scholars who interact with students live in class sessions and also provide support and feedback throughout the week via email and the class’s Google Classroom platform. Through the Classroom interface, students can also comment and connect with one another in a monitored environment throughout the week. Each BLOOM student is assigned a BLOOM email address and account via G-suite for Education.

Go Beyond the Basics—Math for Wonder, Wisdom & Worship

The Bluebonnet Live Online & Onsite Math (BLOOM) program offers a rigorous, college-preparatory math trajectory through Calculus. BLOOM classes meet or exceed national standards and prepare students for standardized tests, college, and beyond.

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The Curriculum

In order to provide comprehensive coverage of each area, BLOOM instructors build out a rigorous, honors-level curriculum starting with standard textbooks (such as McGraw Hill/Pearson/Princeton/Brooks/Cole) and adding in substantial amounts of curated supplemental material for enrichment and extension, along with practice standardized test problems. These challenging problem-solving activities are integrated to help students hone their mathematical and critical thinking skills and apply concepts across a wide range of situations and scenarios.

In addition to mathematical performance, BLOOM students are also invited to develop formative habits of scholarship and character. BLOOM courses are designed around Bluebonnet’s core values of tenacity, collaboration, and freedom such that suggested grading scales reward hard work over flashes of brilliance and include holistic assessments that evaluate both subject mastery as well as soft skills such as carefulness, neatness, tenacity, preparedness, and communication.

Rooted in wonder and worship, BLOOM classes are faith-based, not in the printed materials used but rather in in the attitude and atmosphere of the classroom. All BLOOM instructors and staff are Trinitarian Christians who uphold the Bible as the inspired word of God, and BLOOM students and their families are likewise asked to affirm a basic Christian creed. (Read more about our Creed & Principles on the main Bluebonnet Scholars website here.)

2023–24 Live Online Hybrid Class Schedule

All Online BLOOM classes meet twice a week at set times. Students should also plan to spend a substantial amount of time completing homework between class sessions.

  • Algebra 2, Mon. & Thur., 8:00–9:25 a.m., Central Time (U.S.A.)
  • Precalculus, Tue. & Fri., 10:45 a.m.–Noon, Central Time (U.S.A.)
  • Calculus BC, Tue. & Fri., 8:00–9:25 a.m., Central Time (U.S.A.)

For the 2023–24 academic year, classes will meet twice a week for thirty-one weeks, August 25, 2023 through May 10, 2024. (See Academic Calendar below for holidays and other important dates.)

Online Class Technical Requirements
  • Laptop or desktop computer with built-in webcam, microphone, and speaker—must be compatible with Google Classroom and Gmail.
  • Internet—High-speed internet is required for the best online experience. Your internet upload speed should be at least 1 Mbps per concurrent class. (If you have multiple students, be sure to multiply by the number of students that you have participating simultaneously. Consider closing browsers and extraneous applications and also minimizing other internet use on the server during BLOOM classes if necessary to improve connection.)
  • Scanner—Cellphone scanner apps work. (See an example here.)
  • Access to a printer—Families will need to print worksheets and tests to supplement online work.

Recommended: Tablet—compatible with Google Classroom, preferably also compatible with a stylus

Note: BLOOM will provide each student with an email account for accessing G-Suite (including Gmail, Google Classroom, Google Drive, etc.).

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Elementary through Geometry—Onsite

1st- through 6th-grade Math • Pre-algebra • Algebra 1 • Geometry

Elementary math and middle-school and high-school classes through Geometry are offered locally onsite in Sugar Land (in the greater Houston area), Texas. For more information on local classes please check out BLOOM’s parent program, Bluebonnet Home Scholars Collaborative, and see class offerings here.

BLOOM Online Math Instructor

Meet Mrs. Mary Panam

With over eighteen years of teaching experience, lab physicist and math coach Mary (Marina) Panam has helped hundreds of students excel on the SAT math test and succeed in college-prep math courses.

Mary excels in the craft of teaching, models Christian virtues and devotion, and communicates the love and wonder of mathematics in all her dealings with students. Students who study with her demonstrate great gains in mathematical understanding and also develop an understanding of math as a glimpse into the mind of God and the awesomeness of his beautifully ordered creation.

As the lead teacher for the high school math program at BHSC/BLOOM since January 2020, Mary has developed a rigorous and ambitious course of study from Algebra 1 through Calculus BC, and her students have demonstrated impressive mastery of the subject.

Spring 2023 is the first year BHSC has graduating high school seniors, and the two graduates who have studied math with Mrs. Panam for the last three years (Algebra 2 through Calculus) have both achieved recognition as National Merit Commended Scholars indicating that they performed in the top 3–4% of all juniors taking the PSAT nationwide. Younger students in the BHSC math program are also demonstrating impressive mastery on standardized tests reflecting the superior math education they are receiving under Mrs. Panam’s instruction. All of her course designs significantly exceed state and federal content standards and include advanced concepts and applications.

Mrs. Panam earned her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics (specialization in Optics) from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and her Master’s in Physics (specialization in Microelectronics) through a joint program between Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She was part of a published research team that worked on defense projects. Mary graduated with honors and was the recipient of the NSF Research Fellowship. She also worked as a physics lab instructor at Rutgers University and at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

After marrying, she moved to Texas and worked as a physics instructor at ITT Technical College. She stopped working to homeschool her children and is now a mother of three boys. To fulfill her love of teaching she started Sigma Learning Center in 2012. Mary has since taught hundreds of children ranging from 6th to 12th grade. She most enjoys teaching Mathematics and Physics as well as SAT coaching. Mary is also a public speaker and musician. She has worked in youth ministry for 22 years and she assists at her church in teaching, giving talks, and assisting in marriage preparation courses. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, music, knitting, and listening to audio books.

Testimonials

Both students and parents love Mrs. Panam and testify to the positive experience her classes provide. On recent anonymous surveys of BHSC parents, families had the following to say about Mrs. Panam and her classes:

  • Mrs. Panam has done an exceptional job at inspiring learning in my students.
  • Mrs. Panam is extremely good and makes kids excellent in math.
  • Mrs. Panam is an amazing math teacher!
  • Mrs. Panam is an extraordinary math teacher. We’re so grateful for her influence.
  • We love Mrs. Panam! She’s awesome.
  • Mrs. Panam engages students and is generally amazing!
  • Mrs. Panam is a great teacher and willing to help & work with each student to meet their needs.
  • Mrs. Panam is an excellent math teacher. My daughter is learning tremendously.
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BLOOM Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

Parents and guardians remain the primary educators of their children and agree to monitor their students’ use of technology and the internet, to ensure the student has the requisite materials and learning tools, to verify that the student participates actively during class sessions with camera on and in a distraction-free environment, and to ensure that the student uses the internet safely and responsibly. Parents/guardians also agree to print assigned pages and to proctor tests as requested by the BLOOM class instructor. Parents and guardians understand that, as homeschool parents, they are responsible for reporting final class grades and verifying their own homeschool transcripts for their students.

BLOOM Online Class Enrollment Process

BLOOM is offered through Bluebonnet Home Scholars Collaborative and serves a community of parents, teachers, and students who demonstrate tenacity for learning and loving, collaboration in professional and scholastic pursuits, and freedom through God’s empowering grace. The Bluebonnet community is proud to include families from a wide variety of places of origin, walks of life, and cultural backgrounds. We warmly welcome all who share the BHSC/BLOOM vision, who affirm BHSC Creed & Principles, and who agree to fulfill the parent/guardian responsibilities.

  • To begin the BLOOM Online application process, families complete the three-part BLOOM Application Form.
  • As part of the application process, applicants schedule and participate in a new family interview via Zoom; applicants will receive a list of available interview days and times and will be able to schedule their appointment after completing the first two parts of the enrollment application. If at all possible, we ask that both parents (if applicable) attend the interview along with the student(s).
  • To complete enrollment, families create an account on our online Parent Portal, submit the annual family registration, technology & placement fee, and select course enrollment by adding the student to the waitlist of the desired online math class.
  • Students are added to the class once placement has been verified via placement exam. Placement exams are sent electronically once the annual family registration, technology & placement fee is received.
  • Enrollment is confirmed when families submit the required supplemental print-and-sign forms and submit the first month’s tuition payment in July.
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2023–24 BLOOM Academic Calendar

  • April 28, 2023—Priority Admission Application due date for 23–24; clergy & need-based scholarship application deadline
  • June 15—Enrollment forms & Registration fees due
  • June 16—Late Registration Fees Applied
  • July 20—First Month Tuition Fees Due (non-refundable)
  • Aug. 18—Due Date to complete BLOOM Online Student & Parent Orientation module
  • Aug. 25 & 28—First class days of Fall Semester
  • Sep. 16—Last day to drop classes with a partial tuition refund
  • Nov 20–24—Thanksgiving Break
  • Dec. 14 & 15—Last days of Fall Semester
  • Jan. 12 & 15, 2024—First days of Spring Semester
  • February—Current family Pre-Registration for 2024–25 classes
  • March 11–15—Spring Break
  • March 29—No classes on Good Friday
  • April 28—New Family Priority 24–25 Admission Application due date; clergy & need-based scholarship application deadline
  • May 3—No classes on Orthodox Holy Friday
  • May 9 & 10—Last days of Spring Semester

Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid

All 2023–24 tuition and fees are as follows:

  • BLOOM Family Registration, Technology & Placement Fee: $100 per family per year
  • Late Registration Fee: $50/family after June 15, 2023
  • BLOOM Online Tuition: $81 per student/class/month for ten months, July through April
  • Returned Check/Insufficient Funds Fee: $30

Family Registration, Technology & Placement fees cover administrative and equipment costs as well as the required placement test for each student. This annual family fee is due with registration to confirm the student’s spot in classes. Enrollment is offered on a rolling basis with priority given to returning families and to families enrolling multiple siblings.

Registration, Technology & Placement fees and First Month Tuition fees are non-refundable except in the case of class cancellation due to low enrollment. Classes must meet a minimum enrollment of 3 students by June 15, 2023; any classes that do not meet the minimum enrollment may be canceled with full refunds provided for classes thus closed. NOTE: The Registration, Technology & Placement fee may also be refunded if a student does not pass the placement test with the requisite score required for the online BLOOM classes.

Tuition fees are collected electronically through automatic monthly payments set up through the online Parent Portal. Payments may be made via credit card or via ACH (bank account) transfer. Enrollment is for the entire 2023–24 academic year; after September 16, full tuition fees are due for the entire school year even in the case of withdrawal from the program.

Need-based Financial Aid

With gratitude to kind benefactors, BHSC is pleased to offer Need-Based Scholarship Awards to families who otherwise would not be able to afford to enroll in the BLOOM classes they’d like their students to take. More information is available here.

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FAQ

Is BHSC/BLOOM a school? Is it a co-op?

BHSC/BLOOM is not a school, and BHSC/BLOOM is also not a co-op. Unlike a school, BHSC/BLOOM supplements the home school rather than replacing it. BHSC/BLOOM does not offer letter grades, transcripts, or diplomas, and BHSC/BLOOM does not offer all the classes necessary to complete graduation requirements. Unlike a co-op, BHSC/BLOOM hires professional staff and teachers and allows parents to drop off their children most days of the term. Additionally, BHSC/BLOOM instructors offer assessment on student progress in core academic upper-Form classes to assist parents with assigning class grades. BHSC/BLOOM is a Group Class Community (GCC), which the Texas Homeschool Coalition identifies as a support program that serves as "a separate 'executor' of the parent’s educational goals." Read more.

What Math curriculum do you recommend before BLOOM online for families who do not live close enough to take onsite classes in the greater Houston area for 1st grade through Geometry?

For 1st-grade through 5th-grade math, we recommend the Singapore Dimensions elementary curriculum with the corresponding Teacher's Guides (especially the Home Instructor's Guide for home use). There is also a digital subscription option to supplement home instruction with video lessons.

For 6th-grade math, Pre-algebra, and Algebra 1, we recommend Singapore Dimensions 6, 7 & 8 respectively with the Teacher's Guides and the solutions manuals.

For Geometry, we recommend Ray C. Jurgensen’s Geometry (Houghton Mifflin) textbook.

Which BLOOM classes are hybrid classes, and what is a hybrid class?

Some BLOOM classes are entirely onsite in the greater-Houston area while other BLOOM classes are online. Of the BLOOM online classes, some are entirely online and some are hybrid onsite and online.

For 2023–24, 1st-grade math through Geometry are entirely onsite in south-east Texas, greater-Houston area.

For 2023–24, Algebra 2 is entirely online—all students and teachers will participate remotely via Zoom video conferencing.

For 2023–24, Pre-calculus and Calculus BC are hybrid onsite and online classes. This means that a student can participate either in person or remotely via video conferencing. A student can participate entirely online (via live video conferencing) from any location with an internet connection. Or, a student can participate entirely onsite in Sugar Land, Texas. The class will include both onsite and online students participating simultaneously. Using Owl Labs technology, both onsite and online students will have a clear view of the classroom whiteboard notes, and students will be able to listen to and interact with the live teacher during the live class sessions.

How does math placement work for BHSC math classes?

Students who did not take a full BHSC math course the previous school year (not to include Math Club) and wish to enroll in a BHSC math course must submit a math placement exam. Students who have taken a full BHSC math course the previous school year but whose teacher recommends a placement test to demonstrate mastery must also take a math placement exam.

When enrolling and selecting math courses online, parents will enroll their new students in a Math Placement "Class" on our Parent Portal and the waiting list for the math class they want. The Math Placement Class is a temporary roster, and math placement exams can be found among the parent resources there.

Math placement exam rates:

$20/student for tests completed before May 19.

Starting May 20 a late fee of $20/student will be billed monthly until the test is completed. (Note that tests submitted June 29 through July will not be scored/assessed or considered complete until August as the BHSC “office” will be closed for the month of July.)

If a retest is needed, the placement test is considered incomplete and will be billed the late fees indicated above until complete. Students cannot be placed in math courses until assessed.

When are BLOOM payments due?

The family registration fee is due upon admittance to reserve the student's spot in classes, as enrollment is offered on a first-come-first-served basis to admitted families. Registration fees (and enrollment forms) are due by June 15, 2023, for the 23–24 academic year. Late fees of $50 will be applied after that.

The first of ten monthly tuition payments will be billed in July 2023. Tuition will be billed monthly from July-April. The first month's tuition fees are non-refundable, as they are used for the purchasing of classroom supplies.

Tuition fees are collected electronically through automatic monthly payments set up through the online Parent Portal. Payments may be made via credit card or via ACH (bank account) transfer. Enrollment is for the entire 2023–24 academic year; after September 16, full tuition fees are due for the entire school year even in the case of withdrawal from the program.

How much parent involvement is required for BLOOM online classes?

For BLOOM online advanced math classes, the amount of parent support needed will vary based on individual student needs and the student's ability to be self-directed, but parents will need to ensure their students are managing time well, completing all assigned work, and having materials on hand during class.

Parents are NOT expected to walk students through homework problems. BLOOM teachers do not expect parents to be experts in all the advanced math topics, and we don't expect parents to (re)learn the material in order to work through the student's homework with them. Even if the parent is math wiz, we actually prefer that parents let students struggle a little.

Based on their experience (and educational/psychological/brain research), BLOOM teachers recommend that students attempt the problems on their own—two or three times—and then bring any remaining questions to the next class session. Then the teacher and other students can walk through the problem together. This allows everyone in the class to learn and review. If one students struggled with a problem, it's likely others did as well.

Since homework is scored as a completion grade, students are awarded full credit for attempting the problems even if they do not get all the answers correct. The process is where the learning happens, and allowing students to struggle through challenges is a great opportunity for them to grow and learn in a transformational way. At BLOOM we're all about building tenacity and collaboration.

How much homework should BLOOM online families expect?

For advanced online highschool math courses, BLOOM students will need to complete a substantial amount of work outside of class time in order to master the subject matter.

The average student in an average week should expect to spend around 1 to 1.5 hours each day, four days a week, completing BLOOM homework and tests/quizzes. For example, if the live class meets on Mondays and Thursdays, students should expect to spend about an hour or more each day in between—so an hour or so on Tuesday, an hour or so on Wednesday, an hour or so on Friday, and an hour or so over the weekend. Some students work faster or slower than average, and some weeks may have slightly more or less work, so the time average is an estimate.

Students who find that they are regularly spending much more than 1 or 1.5 hours a day, for more than a week or two in a row, are encouraged to contact the teacher to find a solution. The teacher can help assess the underlying issue and can coach the student on streamlining their efforts. In some cases, the teacher, student, and parent might adjust the homework when accommodations are needed.

If a student is unable to keep up with home assignments after working with the teacher, the teacher may advise the family to switch the student to a less rigorous class track. Private tutoring may also be arranged separately depending on teacher availability.

How can I enroll in BLOOM online classes?

To begin the enrollment process, complete the brief, three-part, free online BLOOM Application Form. The third part of the online application involves registration for a new family interview via Zoom video conferencing. During the interview, prospective families can meet staff members and ask questions.

After submitting the application and completing the interview, admitted families will be asked to return enrollment forms and complete online enrollment and course selection, at which time they are charged the family registration, technology & placement fee.

You can begin the enrollment process by applying here.

What is BLOOM’s philosophy of education?

BHSC curriculum and instruction is developed on the basis of both classical tradition and contemporary research. The Bluebonnet approach is heavily influenced by Christian educators and thinkers such as Charlotte Mason, C. S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers, and Jacques Maritain. Our central objectives are

  • to invite wonder and facilitate knowledge through the lively presentation of vital ideas,

  • to model and transmit disciplined habits of sentiment and volition, and

  • to inspire love and action that embraces the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.

For more information about BLOOM's parent program, BHSC, and its history, purpose, core values, and unique approach, please see our BHSC about page.

What supplies do families need to purchase for BLOOM classes?

For all online BLOOM classes—including Algebra 2, Pre-calculus, and Calculus BC—in addition to the technical requirements to participate in the live online classes, students will need the following supplies which families purchase independently:

  • Pencils & Erasers

  • 1 black/blue and 1 red non-erasable pen

  • 1 ruler (a small one is fine)

  • A few color pencils or colored erasable pens (3 colors other than black)

  • Graphing Calculator*

  • A three-ring binder with lined/graph paper and dividers—or—a notebook (graphing or lined) with a 1.5″ binder (with lined/graph paper and dividers)

*Since graphing calculators are allowed and recommended for most standardized tests, it is advisable to invest in one. It is important for students to feel comfortable using one, especially on a timed exam. Recommended calculators can be found on the College Board site here. BLOOM instructor Mrs. Panam prefers TI-89 and up (with CAS).

For Algebra 2, families should aquire the following additional supplies:

  • Glencoe Algebra II by McGraw Hill (ISBN-10: 0078952654/ISBN-13: 978-0078952654)—New or used is fine, but it must be the correct ISBN.

  • Homework packet—provided digitally to BLOOM students via the class Google Classroom, BLOOM families will need to either print the packet (over 800 pages over the school year) or to access it via a compatible tablet and stylus and have students complete and submit the work digitally.

For Pre-calculus, families should purchase the following additional supplies:

  • Precalculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic, 9th Edition, by Franklin D. Demana, Bert K. Waits, Gregory D. Foley, Daniel Kennedy (ISBN 13: 9781269614382; ISBN 10: 126961438X)—New or used is fine, but it must be the correct ISBN. Mrs. Panam recommends purchasing the teacher’s edition:

  • Index cards (about 100) and an index card holder/case

For Calculus BC, families should purchase the following additional supplies:

  • Calculus of a Single Variable, 10th Edition, by Ron Larson & Bruce Edwards (ISBN 13: 978-1285060330; ISBN 10: 1285060334)—New or used is fine, but it must be the correct ISBN.

  • Princeton Review AP Calculus BC 2023 book (ISBN-10: 0593450698; ISBN-13: 978-0593450697)

  • Optional: Index cards (about 100) and an index card holder/case

How are payments made for BLOOM online classes?

All family registration fees and tuition fees are billed through our Parent Portal. Automatic monthly tuition payments can be charged to a credit or debit card or made via ACH debit from a bank account.

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Non-Discrimination Policy: It is the policy of BHSC to admit homeschooling families and students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to families and students. BHSC will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and/or loan programs, or any other programs.