The township board of education heard an update on the ongoing implementation of the Eureka Math curriculum at its June 28 meeting.
The curriculum was first introduced in 2019-’20 for kindergarten through fifth grade. This past year, it was implemented for sixth through eighth graders, and in the fall, will include students taking algebra.
District Curriculum Supervisor Scott Goldthorpe gave an example of how first graders learn through algebra what comprises a number – for instance, 43 is made up of four 10s and three ones – leading to their understanding of how to multiply add exponents and polynomial equations.
Goldthorpe also emphasized the three guiding principles for mathematics instruction: “All students can and should develop a belief that mathematics is sensible, worthwhile and doable,” he noted.
“All students are capable of making sense of mathematics in creative, interactive and relevant ways, and all students can and should engage in rigorous mathematics through rich challenging tasks.”
The math curriculum was well received by board members, who reflected on personal experiences of working with their kids on math.
“This program went a long way towards opening (my middle school son’s) eyes to what math can be,” said member Joel Mayer. “ … He went from a struggling math student because he wasn’t interested in the topic to seeing that math is more and can be more …
“(He) is really enjoying it and now looks forward to finding other ways to make it more rational, more practical, for whatever he goes into for the future.”
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche then welcomed Elisa Lomon as Cherry Hill West’s new assistant principal. She is currently an assistant principal at Delsea Middle School and was previously a supervisor of math and science. Lomon has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutgers University and a master’s in educational leadership and administration from Seton Hall University.
In other news:
- The board recognized Rosa Middle School’s Raptor’s Roar newspaper staff for placing first in the American Scholastic Press Association’s School Newspaper Award for the Junior High division. The staff was the only state middle school in the contest to gain first place and one of only three in the entire country.
- The board approved of a revised calendar for next year that includes Eid as a day off.
- Board President Ben Ovadia announced that member Kimberly Friddell will resign prior to her term’s expiration in December.
The next board of education meeting is July 12 at 6:30 p.m.
