Winter Newsletter

For upcoming events, current news and helpful tips, download our Winter newsletter.

Dr. Rick's Blog

Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., has forty years of education experience, in both the public and private sectors, including more than a decade with Sylvan Learning.

He began his professional career with the Baltimore County, Maryland, Public Schools as a high school English teacher. Before joining Sylvan, he was Assistant Superintendent for the school system's department of curriculum and instruction, overseeing the development of all instructional programs for the 25th largest public school system in the U.S. He holds a Master of Liberal Arts degree and a doctorate in English Curriculum and Instruction, and is an associate of the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. He is also the recipient of the Excellence in Education Award from CITA/AdvancED, the umbrella organization of regional, national, and international academic accreditors.

Read Dr. Rick's blog for up-to-date tips on homework, back-to-school, test prep, report cards, SAT/ACT prep, writing and more!

Secrets of Sylvan

Many of our families tell us that they have tried private tutors, other learning centers, counseling, specialized programs and nagging.
Sylvan, however, has been consistently successful over the years when other programs have not been able to provide the solution.

Here are some of the lesser-known reasons why Sylvan will be successful in meeting your needs.

• Our teachers are college graduates and are trained in our programs.
• Our directors communicate with parents on a regular basis to ensure that the needs of the student are being met even as those needs change over time.
• With parent permission, our directors communicate with classroom teachers. This enables us to keep abreast of what is happening in the classroom and with your student's grades.
• Sylvan provides guaranteed growth in academic reading and math essentials which are the two core subjects in all schools.
• Our teachers can help with homework to keep students caught up and successful in their classes.
• For those students in need of a greater challenge in their education, our teachers help with enrichment.
• We offer special discounts throughout the year plus a variety of payment options, including financing, to help you fit Sylvan into your budget in a challenging economy.

Anything but Algebra!

Does the thought of helping your child with algebra homework scare you?

Then send us a short video showing us what you would rather do than help your child with homework.

You could win your choice of an iPad 2 OR a $750 AMEX gift card!

Is Your Child Ready for Algebra?

Known as a "gateway course," algebra is the foundation for higher-level high school math and science classes and thus a critical stepping stone to student's success. Make sure your child is ready by having them take a FREE Algebra Readiness Check-Up!

Weak algebra skills can lead to:

• Lower ACT/SAT^® scores
• Limited access to colleges and universities
• Restricted careers

Glossary of Math Terms

At Sylvan, we recognize that mathematics is a language that can be learned. This glossary of mathematical terms and definitions includes several hundred of the most important mathematical terms in use today.
Download our Glossary of Math Terms here.

Glossary of Math Terms(320 KB)

Find us on Facebook!

Renton Sylvan Learning is on Facebook!

Become a fan of our page and get updated information about our upcoming seminars, programs, promotions, and useful educational news.

2011 - 2012 Instructional Calendar

Sylvan is closed for instruction on these days:

• November 24, 2011
  
• December 24 - 26, 2011
  
• December 31, 2011
  
• January 2, 2012
  
• January 16, 2012
  
• February 20, 2012
  
• May 26 - 28, 2012
  
• July 4, 2012
  
• September 1 - 3, 2012
  
• November 22, 2012
  
• December 24 - 25, 2012
  
• December 31, 2012 - January 1, 2013

Fall Hours

Fall instructional hours:

• Mondays - Thursdays: 2:30 pm - 7:30 pm
  
• Saturday mornings: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

School Visits

In order to help students succeed both in and out of the classroom, we meet with teacher(s) on campus to discuss a student's progress at school. This better enables us to develop a personalized Sylvan program to target specific educational needs and challenges.

You can fill out an Authorization Form in the center, or download the School Visit Authorization Form here.

Sylvan Online

If your busy schedule is making it difficult to attend Sylvan regularly, consider enrolling in one of our online programs. Sylvan Online™ offers the same proven programs that our center features, from the convenience of home.

We offer academic support in two separate subject areas:

• Reading — grades three through nine
  
• Math — grades three through eight (up to pre-algebra)

Book Adventure

Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8, with sections dedicated to teachers and parents. Children can log on at any place with high-speed Internet access, to test their reading comprehension skills and win fun prizes. They create their own book lists from over 7,000 recommended titles, take multiple-choice quizzes on the books they've read off-line, and earn points and prizes for their reading accomplishments.
You can find them at bookadventure.com.

Useful Links

School Districts

• Bellevue School District
  
• Issaquah School District
  
• Lake Washington School District
  
• Mercer Island School District
  
• Renton School District
  
• Seattle School District
  
• Snoqualmie Valley School District