PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) are reminding families, students and educators that the state will host the Math Extravaganza: Math Matters RI – Count Us In! event this Saturday, May 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the RI Nursing Education Center, 350 Eddy Street, Providence. A schedule of the event is available here.
In addition to free refreshments, the event will offer various prizes including:
- 55” Television
- Rhode Island Football Club Tickets
- Providence Children’s Museum Passes
- United Skates of America Passes
- Roger Williams Zoo Passes
- $200 Dave’s Market Gift Card
- $150 Sneaker Junkies Gift Card
- $150 Providence Oyster Bar Gift Card
- Gooseneck Vineyards Gift Basket
- Copies of the book Math Mind
- Free swag for students, families and educators
The event will feature fun, family-friendly activities including math games for all ages, which will be hosted by Rhode Island State Teacher of the Year Milissa O’Neil and the Collaborative for Student Success (CSS); a special screening of the Counted Out documentary directed by Vicki Abeles beginning at 9:30 a.m.; and a fireside chat with Commissioner Infante-Green and math expert and Zearn CEO and Co-founder Shalinee Sharma, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Educators and parents are invited to participate in various workshops. Educators will be able to earn Professional Learning Units (PLUs) by filling out this registration form. Participants may sign up in person at the event.
Workshops include:
Foundations of Math for Educators led by Dr. Chris Caine
Participants will join Dr. Chris Cain for a session underscoring that algebra does not have to be scary to teach. The sessions will use the Hands-On-Equations kit to provide both general and special education teachers, grades 4 and up, with a concrete way to teach algebra concepts to students. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a set of Hands-On Equation kits.
Foundations of Math for Families led by Dr. Chris Caine
Families will join Dr. Chris Cain for a session which aims to make Algebra concepts concrete for students. The session will use the hands-on-equations kits to provide a deeper and more concrete understanding of Algebra for students, ages 10 and up, and their parents. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a class set of hands-on equation kits!
Empowering Educators with Khan Academy and Khanmigo
Participants will join representatives from Khan Academy to explore how educators can leverage mastery-based learning tools and use Khan’s course offerings to support math achievement. This session will highlight Khanmigo, an AI-powered teaching assistant, and demonstrate how it can be used to personalize instruction, monitor student progress, and reinforce college and career readiness throughout the school year and summer.
Supporting Your Child’s Math Journey with Khan Academy and Khanmigo
Participants will discover how families can use Khan Academy’s free, high-quality learning resources to keep students engaged in math over the summer and to support student learning outside the classroom throughout the school year. This session will introduce Khanmigo, an interactive tool that helps students build confidence and skills at their own pace—with the support of videos, practice exercises, and personalized learning pathways.
New Classrooms Workshop For Educators
Participants will discover how Teach to One Roadmaps helps students build math confidence and proficiency through personalized learning. Designed for students in grades 4 through Algebra 1, the program pinpoints what each student is ready to learn and provides tailored, skill-focused resources to help them get to where they need to be. Educators also gain access to real-time insights that help them plan targeted lessons, small group instruction, and intervention support.
New Classrooms Workshop For Families
Participants will discover how Teach to One Roadmaps helps students build math confidence and proficiency through personalized learning. Designed for students in grades 4 through Algebra 1, the program pinpoints what each student is ready to learn and provides tailored, skill-focused resources to help them get to where they need to be.
Prisms VR Presentation
Participants will engage in a demonstration of the types of lessons and modules available in Prisms; utilizing the teacher’s portal and participating in the student experience of virtual reality (VR) to engage students in math. Guests will have the opportunity to experience the VR platform.
The event is part of the Math Matters RI initiative, which was launched by Governor McKee and Commissioner Infante-Green in February when they announced the awarding of $2.85 million in Learn365RI state grants aimed to improve math skills for students in Rhode Island.
What They Are Saying:
“With our Math Matters RI campaign, we’re helping students across the state improve their math understanding with the goal of promoting greater academic achievement,” said Governor Dan McKee. “From after-school programs to April and summer vacation camps, Rhode Island has made strategic investments in math education that are helping students continue to sharpen their skills beyond the classroom. We encourage students, families, and educators to join us to celebrate math education in the Ocean State.”
“Through our Math Matters initiative, we are all coming together to embrace math and build a statewide sense of excitement and enthusiasm,” said Commissioner Infante-Green. “From manufacturing to engineering and other in-demand fields, students need math to succeed in a very competitive 21st-century economy. We are all math people and have a role in promoting it for generations to come. We invite all Rhode Islanders to join us for a fun event that will promote and raise awareness of the importance of math.”
“As Rhode Island’s State Teacher of the Year, I know personally just how critical strong math skills are for a students’ long-term success,” said Rhode Island State Teacher of the Year Milissa O’Neal. “We’re proud that Rhode Island teachers will play an integral role in this event and will be able to access important professional development opportunities. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or student – come out to celebrate math with us!”
“By launching the Math Matters RI initiative, Governor McKee and Commissioner Infante-Green have shown their commitment to educators who are working every single day to make all kids math kids,” said Zearn CEO and Co-founder Shalinee Sharma. “I am honored to join this important event celebrating how every student can succeed in math — and how to make math accessible and rigorous for all kids.”
“The Math Matters initiative launched by Rhode Island is a perfect demonstration of state leadership to improve math achievement,” said Executive Director of the Collaborative for Student Success Jim Cowen. “Alongside the Collaborative for Student Success’ We’re All Solvers campaign, families will see first-hand how game nights are a great way to boost learning outside of the classroom. Just as parents read to their children every night to foster a love of reading, so too should they play games that develop fundamental numeracy skills. We look forward to bringing our ‘Solver’s Social’ to Providence in partnership with Governor Mckee and Commissioner Infante-Green.”
“Rhode Island is the first state in the country to enable all public high school students to use Khanmigo and Khan Academy to prepare for the SAT,” said founder of Khan Academy Sal Khan. “This leadership helps ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed on the SAT—and in college and career beyond.”
Event partners and sponsors include:
- Age of Learning
- Always Learning RI
- American Mathematical Society
- Collaborative for Student Success (CFSS)
- Dave’s Market
- Fidelity Investments
- Gooseneck Vineyards
- Khan Academy - Khanmigo
- Knead Doughnuts
- Mathnasium of Portsmouth
- McGraw Hill Education
- New Classrooms
- Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School
- Prisms
- Providence Children’s Museum
- Providence Oyster Bar
- Rhode Island FC
- Rhode Island Computer Museum
- Rhode Island Education Collective
- Roger Williams Park Zoo
- Savvas Learning
- Sneaker Junkies
- The FLY Initiative
- United Skates of America
- University of Rhode Island
- Winners' Circle XR Academy, Inc.
- Zearn
While the event is open and free for all, registration is required on Eventbrite.
Flyer in English.
Flyer in Spanish.
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