Scientific or graphing calculator?

Scientific or graphing calculator? What should students buy?

As they grow older and get older, the list of school supplies will likely get shorter, but it's still not guaranteed to be less expensive.

One thing that could cause sticker shock to parents of middle and high school students is an specialized calculator. Some schools prefer that students possess their own hand-held scientific calculator. For the most advanced math courses, such as Advanced Calculus A graphing calculator may be required.

But, what's the difference? Scientific calculators can do things beyond addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. A scientific calculator usually has buttons specifically designed for parentheses, trigonometric calculations, exponents reverses, and pi among other things.

A graphing calculator does even more. It'll come with a larger screen that allows you to enter a formula, then see a graph of it.

Best Find's Geek Squad agent Derek Meister says scientific calculatorscan run between $10 and $60. Calculators that graph are generally priced higher, with prices ranging between $80 to $150.Should back to school students buy the scientific and graphing calculators? (KOMO News)

However, Best Buy says you may not actually have to purchase one, and suggests seeking advice from your school before you buy.

Harmony Weinberg, Edmonds School District's public relations and media supervisor she tells KOMO News each individual school determines its own policies.

"For higher level classes, like AP Calculus, it is often expected that students have a handheld graphing calculator, such as TI-83, TI-84 or TI-89."

Calculators of this type are ideal for AP tests. Weinberg also says schools have a system to allow students to access calculators in the same way as they would text books , if they're unable or choose not to buy their own.

The Edmonds District School, the calculators are handled like textbooks, with regard to damage or loss, however they don't have any fees to use.

Another option could have a laptop from their school. Weinberg says in Edmonds "all students have access to scientific and graphing calculators through their district-issued Chromebook." The district also encourages teachers to use Desmos online calculators as they are used on state assessments and also on state assessments.

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West Seattle family says school rules on quarantine bias against people who aren't vaccinated

from Joel Moreno, KOMO News reporterSaturday 19th September 2021

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.485.1_en.html#goog_1206168445Volume 90% Denny International Middle School.

SEATTLE A family from West Seattle say their young son was instructed to stay at home after his contact with an individual who was positive for COVID-19. It prompted the family to claim that their son was targeted and was treated differently by the school district's officials due to the fact that the boy was not vaccinated..

This week, a 12-year-old student who is a student at Denny International Middle School was exposed to someone in class who was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Officials from his school advised the student to stay at home for two weeks as the vaccine he received was not up to date.

His relatives said they have discovered that, had he been vaccinated, the seventh grade student wouldn't be forced to miss classes as long as he didn't show any symptoms from the virus.

"My kid has no symptoms," said Jeremy Gollyhorn, the boy's father. "He's absolutely healthy. Why is it that he doesn't get an unbiased COVID test, and then go back to school?"

Gollyhorn told reporters that his son was being placed under a different set of standards than other students who've received their shots. And even when he had a negative COVID-19 exam, the boy would not be allowed to return to school after the two week quarantine is complete.

However, those close to them who have been fully vaccinated, and who show no symptoms do not need to stay in quarantine. They can go back to classes, although they are advised to be tested for the disease three to five days later to be sure.

Gollyhorn declared that it isn't making sense.

"Vaccinated people can still spread COVID too so what's the difference there?" said Dr. A. said.

A spokesperson said Seattle Public Schools is following guidelines on public health that are set in the State of Washington.

Gollyhorn stated that the policy strips people of their choice. Gollyhorn also stated that his family doesn't believe in vaccines and situations like this just make him want to oppose the policy.

The day that Seattle Public Schools started the school year on September. 1st, the school district has reported 117 positive COVID-19 cases while Denny International Middle School has reported four positive cases in that time.

It is unclear how many employees and students were told to remain in quarantine because of exposures. However, the absences are considered excused.