CHOCTAW, OK—"The First in Math® Online Program has set my school on fire," exclaims Brenda Stanley, Principal of L.W. Westfall Elementary. Stanley has reason to be excited. "My students are constantly begging to get on the computer to earn more stickers, and they are even willing to give up recess to go to the computer lab to engage in First in Math. It is marvelous!"
Each Friday morning, Principal Stanley holds a school-wide assembly called 'Westfall Rising' in the gym. "This is a great opportunity to build community in our school. We sing songs and celebrate student achievements. We purchased a FIM trophy for each grade level, and we recognize the top-achieving Team in First in Math for each grade level—the students are allowed to keep the trophy in their classroom for the week." Excitement is off-the-chart when the top classrooms and top teachers are announced, according to Stanley.
Left: Westfall ES recent Weekly Class Winners, l to r: Achilles Hofman (K); Hunter Kerr (G1); Player of the Week Yunus Uslu (G2); Hannah Simmons (G2); Bryce Greene (G4); Tyresse Thomas (G5) and Levi Anderson (G3). Right: The school's first-ever Player of the Week, third-grader Hannah Barnett.
Westfall is using the program in 18 classrooms in grades K through 5, and is the top-ranked school in the Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District, third in the state. "This is our first year to play First in Math as a school," says Assistant Principal Shannon Shay. "The students are extremely competitive and are always striving to be the best."
Principal Stanley says she recommends the program, and the extra effort she puts in to 'fire-up' her students is already paying off. "I have great expectations for our students' math skills."
Kelli Hosford, Principal of James Griffith Intermediate School, agrees. "When we introduced the program, our students solved 135,900 problems—an average of 468 problems per participating student—in just ONE WEEK. Our kids, teachers, and parents love this program. We presented it at Parent Teacher conferences and I had one parent tell me that it was all her son wanted to do all weekend."
Hosford reports that the First In Math program is of great value not only as a curriculum supplement, but as a time-saver. "Teachers no longer have to prepare and grade printed fact-quizzes. I especially enjoy the Principal's Page; the Top Five Players List and Top Weekly Class rundown are great."