Math

Math in the MDCS middle school puts a strong focus on the “nuts and bolts.” As a teacher, I believe it is important for all students to have a strong math base. Having the opportunity to mold mathematical minds for three consecutive years helps fill in any weaknesses that a student may have. They leave here with all the tools to be successful math students and everyday users of math for the rest of their lives.

Daily the students learn through structure and routines. This helps the students gain confidence in their abilities. We agree that practice makes perfect. Students complete fast facts daily to keep them on their toes with things we often assume they have mastered such as adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing without their fingers. Growth occurs in all of our students. EC support and advanced math offerings help challenge each student to reach, or exceed their potential. We compete each year in the Math Counts Competition which is a Nationwide Program. Students who are capable can also take high school math courses such as Algebra 1 and Geometry.

P.E.

Middle school students receive 30 minutes of PE daily, outdoors (weather permitting), throughout the school year.  The students participate in calisthenics, running and games.

We’re on the run again. Our running schedule includes a mix of laps on the school driveway and sprints. We use a day in math class to measure height and weight, then we found resting and active heart rates and BMI (Body Mass Index). This data will be used to learn math concepts such as mean, median, mode, percent change, and more. The students will also be able to see the benefits of PE by noticing changes in their bodies.

Sports Elective

Students have the opportunity to participate in flag football, soccer, volleyball, and basketball, hockey, ultimate Frisbee, track and field, and lacrosse.  The students learn skills and rule for each of these games, with the idea that they will be ready to play any of these team sports when they reach high school.  They also work on physical fitness by running, and doing push ups and sit ups.

Brook Stillman

Brook grew up in the small town of Homer in upstate New York. She was always interested in learning- especially math. Inspired by her 7th grade math teacher, Brook decided that teaching math was her calling.

From 1998-2002 Brook attended Western Carolina University, where she studied Elementary Education and participated on the women’s golf team. While she was there she focused her studies on math. After receiving her license to teach K-6, she became certified to teach middle school math.

Brook took a job at Mountain Discovery teaching Title I Reading in the spring of 2004. She took over teaching Middle School Math in the Fall of 2005. She loves getting to work with the same students for 3 years in a row. Building relationships with the students makes it easier to teach them.

Brook loves sports and all things athletic. She recently became a certified personal trainer. Her love for athletics shows during PE and Sports Elective. Brook also started the school’s Cross Country team in 2012. During the school year she coaches Running Club for students in K-8th.

 

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