Math enrichment program starts for seventh-graders
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Westborough - In an eff ort to create a bridge between its math enrichment programs in grades one through six and eight to 12, Westborough's School Department has created and implemented a program to address the needs of seventh-graders in the district.

"We have a number of talented grade-seven math students at Gibbons Middle School this year," Assistant Superintendent Marianne O'Connor said. "Because of that, we wanted to design a program that would meet the needs of pre-algebra students who would benefit from a more rigorous curriculum."

The additional program the administration devised and adopted, called the "Problem Solving Program for Advanced Pre-Algebra Students," began with the commencement of the school's third term Jan. 23.

The criteria for student participation included: an MCAS score of 265 or above, a class average of 93 or better, an exemplary performance on a Pre-Algebra Skills Assessment test, a teacher recommendation and parental approval.

Students in every seventh grade math class were selected for the program. They are not separated from their regular class to participate in the program, but are assigned advanced problem-solving questions during regularly scheduled classes.

While the remainder of the class works on pre-selected curriculum topics, the students participating in the enrichment program work independently on the problems they've been given.

The independent-study component of the program worried some parents who shared their concerns with the School Committee, O'Connor and Superintendent Anne Towle at the Jan. 16 School Committee meeting.

"We understand the concerns, but we feel that it's a limited number of students who are looking to excel in math, so the potential for distraction will be limited," O'Connor said. "We realize parts of the program are not set up perfectly, but we wanted to get started sooner rather than later and we can make adjustments as we go along."

O'Connor said the administration would like to see the program implemented into the fabric of the district beginning next year.

To show that, the administration has committed to the following: a stipend for up to $1,500 for teachers participating in the program, substitutes for math teachers attending a two-day workshop on diff erentiated instruction, the installation of necessary software on the school's mobile lab computers, a class cycle that will allow teachers to collaborate and assess student work, and regularly planned meetings to review curriculum and student performance.

Linda Parker, who runs the district's Math Olympiad program for grades one through six and also teaches math at Mill Pond School, is pleased that the administration made this first step.

"It's good that it got started," Parker said. "I realize that a lot of parents wanted something bigger and more formalized, but you've got to start somewhere. Nothing starts at full steam; it takes time to build up to that. We'll see how it plays out from here."

Parker explained that students learn math at diff erent rates, some more quickly, some more slowly than others. It's important, she said, that kids who have an interest in math are challenged as often as possible so they won't become disinterested in the subject.

"You never want to miss an opportunity to develop that interest," Parker said. "You have to make a conscious effort to always be giving them as much math as they're comfortable with. I think the enrichment program helps to do that. I think this is truly a win-win for students and the district."