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A BIG DEAL – La Conner Elementary teacher Lisa Hedlund shows students that when it comes to math, having fun is in the cards. Hedlund and other staff and volunteers introduced pupils and their parents to a wide range of games and activities as part of the school's annual Math Night celebration May 1.
Math can be serious stuff, but it's also a great vehicle for fun and games.
That was spelled out at La Conner Elementary School during the annual campus Math Night celebration May 1, when parents, students and staff geared up to experience the magic of numbers.
"It's great that people can come in and see how math is fun," said Beth Clothier, La Conner School District's director of teaching and learning. "It's nice to see so many families here to do math games."
The mood was festive, akin more to a carnival than a classroom arithmetic lesson.
"The great thing about this is that everyone can see the fun side of math, something different than the normal school routine," said paraprofessional Sunee Lagerwey.
First-grade teacher Lisa Hedlund coordinated the event, organizing stations where attendees were posed with puzzles, a numerical mini-basketball hoop shoot, math-related art and assorted card, dice and board games.
"I asked everybody to sign up for an activity," Hedlund said, "In some cases they brought in the math games that they send home for summer."
The school district is emphasizing math, where a new K-12 curricula was adopted a couple of years ago. The district's primary and secondary levels each have a separate math curriculum designed to promote student mastery, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
In addition, the school board calls upon staff members to report on student progress in math at the panel's monthly meetings.
Reflective of the focus placed upon math, board president Susie Deyo and her husband, Tim, who has an extensive engineering background, served as Math Night volunteers.
Superintendent Will Nelson soaked up the Math Night vibe. He quickly rattled off the key factors contributing to Math Night's winning equation.
"Lots of families, lots of kids, lots of staff and lots of fun," Nelson said of the 90-minute program.
Elementary School Principal Heather Fakkema echoed that sentiment.
"It's been a nice turnout," she said. "We've had a steady flow of people coming in. It's a great event for our students and families."
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