Graham School kicks off its inaugural Math with Moms event

Over 70 mother figures and role models gathered in the Graham School gymnasium for the first-ever Math with Moms event. On November 20, 2024, these moms created a community with one another, solving math equations and building foundations to help secure themselves and their students a more confident, bright future. 

This event was created to focus on math and literacy – a District-wide initiative – and to help mothers gain confidence not only in their math skills but themselves as well. 

The event was opened with a light breakfast and refreshments for the moms to enjoy. In honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, Yasmin Hernandez, a representative from Anthem Health Insurance, gave a small talk on the condition. She walked the moms through different types and symptoms, how to treat, and how to prevent diabetes in themselves and their families. 

On the topic of health and wellness, Sarah McNamee, a School Social Worker at Graham, led a meditation exercise with the parents. Each mom stood up and did a group breathing exercise and stretch to release any tension and negativity. Ms. McNamee encouraged moms to use these exercises to de-escalate negative situations at home and promote mental health with their children. 

“It is important for moms to remind themselves that they are doing the best they can. It’s progress, not perfection,” said Ms. McNamee. “This event is not just about math; it is also about building confidence and understanding that they can do it and can seek support if they need it. It’s important for moms to see each other and to connect on that level”

Anthony Puleo, the middle school math teacher at Graham, spoke about navigating children through math equations and word problems. He focused on moving students from concrete to abstract problems and utilizing the proper language to interact with any issue they may face. The moms then got the opportunity to solve two math problems with each other, putting their arithmetic skills to the test. 

MVCSD Board Trustee and Graham alumni Lynne Middleton also gave a small motivational speech to the mother figures, urging them to get involved in their children’s education. 

For parents of younger students, 1st-grade teacher Stephanie Milani introduced the mothers to the method of teaching math and numbers by using picture books. She recommended books such as “The Greedy Triangle” by Marilyn Burns for learning shapes, “The Doorbell Rings” by Pat Hutchins for learning division, and “Even Steven and Odd Todd” by Kathryn Christaldi to learn about numbers.

“It was very refreshing. You normally only see other moms in passing, so to have a day for us was amazing,” said Tabitha Wallace-Boutin, mother of three elementary students at Graham. “By doing the math exercises, I learned something that I need help with so that I can better help my children.”

Parents are encouraged to join the Graham Parent Teachers Association to get more involved in the school community and support key yearly events. 

Bingo cards were given to the mothers at the beginning of the event to keep track of key phrases and buzzwords that would be thrown out during the event. The three moms who called bingo out first won a Graham School t-shirt. As a gift, the staff also gave each mom a “Proud MVCSD Mom” keychain. 

As the event concluded, several moms visited and sat in with their children in their classrooms. They were also encouraged to view and choose from the free resources and items that were laid out around the perimeter of the gymnasium. These included jackets and shoes, backpacks, toys and books for the students' reading challenge. 

“This past year, there has been an outpouring of mothers that felt that they wanted to have a day of their own, so Graham has decided to launch our first annual Math with Moms Day,” said Dr. Natasha Hunter McGregor, Principal at Graham. “We want to build partnerships with our families to increase the morale of our children, their self-esteem, and their academic achievement. If we stay together and on course, we will be able to accomplish that.”