Polk County Schools Elementary Math Leadership Team recently held training on the early release day, Oct. 30, for their fellow staff members entitled Partners for Mathematics Learning.

Just as the training held last school year, the recent workshops expose teachers to the upcoming change in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) in Science and Mathematics, while also introducing them to innovative, hands-on learning activities for their classes.

A special aspect of the training held recently was that teachers visited other schools in the system and enjoyed sharing ideas and generating creativity by experiencing others classrooms.

The Elementary Math Leadership team members are: Kim McCool and Pam Vining from Tryon, Loretta Edwards and Sandy Smith from Polk Central, Patti Grochowski and Cari Maneen from Saluda, and Maureen Keller from Sunny View.

These training are part of an educational partnership grant focused on creating student interest through techniques that energize and alter mathematics and science instruction.

As part of this project, Polk County Schools is partnering with Cherokee, Henderson, Madison, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey Counties as well as the institution of higher education at Appalachian State University and the Western Regional Education Service Alliance (WRESA). in a three year, grant funded project.

The project will provide training on the NCSCOS for all grades, increase educators knowledge of research-based teaching methods as well as technology and internship learning opportunities at the high school level.