SCHOOL NAME SCHOOL ADDRESS

DATE

Dear Parents

     Your student has the distinct privilege of being enrolled in the computational science class at our school. The teachers of this class have received intensive training in computational science through the ASPIRE program at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and will be able to pass this training on to your son or daughter this school year. Alabama has proven to be a leader in the area of K-12 computational science and other states have modeled their programs after the Alabama program. Our school is one of about 50 schools in Alabama to offer computational science as a part of our curriculum.

     The focus of the computational science class is the development of a scientific applications research project on a topic of the student's choice. Mentors in the academic or scientific community will assist the student in the development of the mathematical model for their problem. As a part of this process, students will do on-line research using the Internet. Each student will be given an Internet account on the UAH network where he/she will research the topic chosen. Class accounts will also be given on the Cray supercomputer at the Alabama Supercomputer Center.

     Thank you for allowing your student to be a part of this growing technology.

Sincerely

TEACHER'S NAME

Please sign and return this letter to the teacher named above.

     I understand that my child has an internet account on the UAH network and the Cray supercomputer. I further understand that the teacher will oversee my child's use of the account while in the classroom and will not hold the school, UAH, or ASN responsible for my child's misuse of the account.

Name (Please print): _________________________________________

Signature: __________________________________ Date: _____________

Parent Signature: ___________________________ Date: _____________