For Immediate Release

Monday, Jan. 6, 2020

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Westport Community Schools Expands Digital Math Program to Westport Elementary School Students

WESTPORT —  Superintendent Gary Reese is pleased to announce that the Westport Community Schools has expanded upon a digital math program that first launched during last school year.

Westport Community Schools started using ST Math in the Alice A. Macomber Primary School (pre-K-grade 2) at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year after being accepted into the ST Math Massachusetts Program. This year, the district received a grant to expand implementation to grades 3-4 at the Westport Elementary School, with the intent of adding grades 5 and 6 next year.

An ST Math assembly was held at the Westport Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to celebrate the success of the students with the program so far during the school year. 

“This is a very unique program, that removes language as a barrier for students as they develop their mathematical thinking and problem solving skills,” Westport Elementary School Principal Stacey Duquette said. “Our students have really taken to it, and we look forward to expanding it to the higher grade levels at the school.” 

The visual-based online program seeks to build a deep conceptual understanding of math through creative problem solving. Users control a penguin named JiJi as he journeys through a colorful world overcoming obstacles by solving math puzzles. JiJi crosses the screen every time a student successfully completes a puzzle, leading them to the next challenge. 

“This program has been a terrific addition to our schools, as a way to get our young learners to think creatively and embrace a love of learning,” Macomber Elementary Principal Cheryl Greeson said. “It presents rigorous mathematical challenges in an engaging way, which makes learning fun. We’ve seen great results so far.”

Applying to the ST Math Massachusetts Program was originally the idea of Andrea Cottrill, former interventionist at the Macomber School, who is now a sixth grade math teacher at Westport Elementary School, as well as Westport Elementary School Assistant Principal Leah Chesney.

As part of the ST Math Massachusetts Program, Westport Community Schools receive access to ST Math as well as ongoing support and resources. This support ensures teachers are equipped to integrate ST Math into their classrooms in a way that makes the largest impact for students.

“Students work on ST Math during math centers and additional computer classes during the week, and students are excited when they solve the puzzles,” Principal Greeson said. “Recently I saw Eric Bosworth, the new computer teacher at the Macomber School, hand-delivering letters from JiJi to the students. It really gives them encouragement and praise. The ST Math message of ‘play to learn math, learn to love math’ is being realized in Westport.”

To learn more about the ST Math Massachusetts Program, visit www.stmath.com/massachusetts.

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