Marshalltown, Iowa, is a city with a diverse industrial base. With major employers in manufacturing, engineering, construction, healthcare and finance, Marshalltown is largely dependent upon the talents of its STEM workers.
The city’s business community believes that strengthening the future workforce begins in elementary education, so they recently banded together to bring ST Math to the school district.
ST Math’s strong visual models and individualized, mastery-based learning paths remove language barriers and make math accessible to all students, regardless of skill level or demographic background.
Marshalltown Community School District (CSD) implemented ST Math at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year. The program was funded through a combination of state and local grants, district funds, and the generosity of the city’s corporations with a total pledge of over $120,000.
Since implementing ST Math, the program’s mascot, JiJi, has been making an appearance in students’ works of art.
Last December, the students and staff of Marshalltown CSD invited their supporters to join them in a celebration!
Representatives from the business community were treated to classroom visits where they got to see the power of ST Math in action. Students were all smiles as JiJi, the beloved penguin in the ST Math software games, made a surprise appearance.
JiJi waddled its way through Marshalltown’s schools to give a “high flipper” to children and adults alike. The celebration was completed with the gifting of several JiJi dolls to the classrooms using ST Math, and with some special recognition of the district’s ST Math sponsors.
Marshalltown students pose with their friend, JiJi, during a classroom visit.
Marshalltown has demonstrated its commitment to improving math instruction, and the impact is being felt district-wide. Thousands of students are already engaging with ST Math for over 90 minutes per week.
Check out the website to learn more about ST Math, and how it is challenging PreK-8 students toward higher achievement in math and beyond.
Kelsey Skaggs was the Communications Manager at MIND Education. She enjoys highlighting the work of colleagues and partners who champion MIND's mission.
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