Staff writer
USD 411 Board of Education approved a $14,430 purchase of a new math curriculum called “Go Math” in a 6-0 vote at Monday’s meeting.
The board reached its unanimous decision after Goessel Elementary School teachers Ilona Abrahams and Sheri Janzen delivered a presentation about the curriculum, which they said offers an engaging and interactive approach to cover state math standards. It incorporates a variety of up-to-date print and digital materials.
“What we have right now has served us very well,” Abrahams said. “Our staff has been very flexible with supplementing new information to meet the updated state standards, but it was time to get new materials.”
According to Abrahams, the last time the district purchased a new elementary math curriculum was in 2005.
Superintendent John Fast said the district used to rotate curricula on a six-year schedule. However, in recent years the rotation was disrupted because of tighter finances.
“It’s become more of a triage now, depending on which curriculum needs it the most,” Fast said. “It was well past 10 years since the elementary math curriculum was updated.”
Fast said Go Math seems to have a nice balance of textbook, workbook, and online resources. The price tag also includes a six-year contract for any consumable materials — like workbooks — that need to be renewed.
“Everything is paid for including all the workbooks we might need over the next six years,” he said.
Online materials are regularly updated, which allows for more flexibility in the classroom, Abrahams said.
New materials will be ordered later this month and arrive by March, Fast said.
“The full curriculum will be implemented next fall,” he said. “We will finish this year with what we have.”