Advancing Math at Laurence

Happy August! I hope that you have been able to enjoy time with your loved ones and create treasured memories over the summer break.

With a collaborative spirit and deep gratitude, I embarked upon my role as Laurence's Director of 3rd-6th Grade starting in June. I would like to give a huge shoutout to Eric Hogenson for his transformative leadership during the past six years and for his instrumental role in facilitating my transition to this new position. 

This summer, I have welcomed the opportunity to work with our exceptional teachers and devoted administration to engage in curriculum and instructional planning designed to further advance Laurence's mission to develop the unique abilities and potential of each student. As always, our administration's unwavering commitment to support our incredible teachers and provide the best educational experience for our students remains our priority. 

Math is an important area of emphasis for our curriculum work this school year. To further this priority, we added longtime, highly-regarded math consultant, Cathy Hoyt, as a full-time faculty member for the upper grades. Cathy has been instrumental in developing Laurence’s 4th through 6th grade Math Club, along with Jennifer Kovacs and Lauren Cantrell. She also introduced the school-wide Math Champ Challenge program, which deepened students’ mathematical problem-solving skills. Christina Rios, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Curriculum (and a former lower division classroom teacher), has partnered with Cathy to enhance the Kindergarten through 2nd grade math program as well. We'll share more about the lower division math enhancements later this fall. 

For our 3rd through 5th grades, Cathy will facilitate the implementation of the enVision Math program, which we recently adopted. She will also contribute in numerous capacities to further strengthen the math program, including: 

• Planning the math curriculum and assessments in collaboration with our teachers

• Teaching math groups in various upper grades

• Providing professional development regarding instructional strategies 

• Reviewing and updating the math curriculum scope and sequence to ensure a strong, spiraling curriculum that fosters problem-solving and critical thinking 

• Providing additional teacher training in instituting the Math Champ Challenge program to continue to advance students’ deeper mathematical understanding 

For our 6th grade students, Laurence adopted a well-regarded middle school math curriculum called EdGems Math. Beginning this school year, Cathy will provide professional development for our 6th grade teachers to ensure the successful launch of this program. We believe that this new program will further strengthen our graduates’ transition to pre-algebra and algebra classes in secondary school.

I am also excited to collaborate with our administrative team and faculty in the coming school year to help advance important initiatives in character education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and STEAM, as well as celebrate Laurence’s 70th anniversary. 

As I enter my 19th year at Laurence, I maintain a deep appreciation and unique perspective of why our school is such a truly special place. Among life’s greatest gifts is the opportunity to collaborate with amazing people one admires, respects, and cherishes. With this in mind, I look forward to partnering with the administrative team, faculty and staff, Board of Trustees, and parent community to advance Laurence’s poignant mission to inspire the “Total Child.”