Dear neighbors:

Schools are the heart of our communities and children are the heart of our schools.  King School needs your help in supporting our children’s academic growth and success.  Almost no one would deny that a college education and a strong foundation in academic fundamentals is mandatory in our increasingly knowledge-based economy.  Growing industries like science, technology, math and engineering rely on not only our students’ proficiency in language, but also a strong foundation in mathematical concepts.

Test results show that, upon graduation, fewer than half of Portland students are ready for college math.  For many students the achievement gap starts early.  At King Elementary School only 8 percent of students in 3rd grade are meeting or exceeding state standards in math.  The district average is 56 percent of students meeting or exceeding standards for math in 3rd grade.

In an attempt to increase young children’s comfort with and exposure to foundational mathematical concepts, a parent group in collaboration with King School administration, teachers and the SUN community schools program is looking to offer a twice weekly two hour after school program called “Play Math!”  The curriculum introduces progressively more challenging math concepts the same way that a video game provides more fun, stimulation and challenge with each level a player reaches.

We would like to involve King neighbors. 

Can you share everyday problems you have that the children can help you to solve using math, or, talk about a career or hobby that you have that uses math?  Do you ever have to do any of the following?

• Create a budget? For example: for a home remodel or grocery shopping.
• Are you a business owner who has to price products, make sales and track inventory?
• Are you a computer programmer who ‘teaches’ computers to perform complex mathematical functions quickly?
• Are you an engineers who designs electronics, roads, bridges, make buildings stand, etc.?
• Are you a contractor, baker, chef who must measure parts in order to make a whole?
• Do you play bridge, or, a sport that requires you make basic arithmetic concepts?

We need your stories and problems for the children to solve.  Our class will be every Tuesday and Thursday in March from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Even if you cannot attend we would love to use your picture, story and problem for the students so that they can make the connection between what they are leaning, their neighbors and real world problems solved by math.   If you are interested in being involved please send a quick email to tanyabarham{at}gmail.com

Thanks for helping King students find fun and success in math.  Go Lions!

Tanya