SUNLAND PARK, NM—Gadsden Independent School District, located in the southeast corner of New Mexico, spans more than 1,400 square miles bordering both Mexico and Texas. The landscape can be flat, dry and desolate between the district’s 23 schools, but within the walls of those buildings great things are happening.
Math Instructional Specialist George Manriquez (seated) and Gadsden Independent School District teachers.
“For the first time since the State started ‘grading’ schools, all of our schools received a grade of A, B or C for the 2013-14 school year,” said a very proud George Manriquez, GISD Math Instructional Specialist. “We were overjoyed when we saw our grades, and now the hard work of maintaining and improving begins.”
Mrs. Susan Yturralde, Executive Dir. Curriculum and Instruction concurs. “We were very gratified, and believe the First In Math Online Program has been instrumental in improving our math scores. Our principals and teachers have seen that when the program is implemented with fidelity we get great results.”
GISD’s K-8 students have been involved in the First In Math program for the last two school years. At a recent professional development refresher session, teachers reported the first thing students asked when they returned to school is “When do I get my First In Math login?”
Last year, GISD students solved more than 21 million math problems on the FIM website. Almost every elementary school saw the ‘average-stickers-per-student’ increase over the previous year—a barometer of success.
“This year our emphasis will be on the School Goals pages focusing on fact fluency and word problems,” says Manriquez, who expects to see a First In Math Wall of Fame in each participating school, and looks forward to seeing GISD schools, teams and students at the top of the FIM state and national rankings.