Merrill Lynch Sponsors Math Grant

Slackwood Teacher Lisa Sassaman with the Math Closet funded by Merrill Lynch in December of 2004 These math-related games and manipulatives are used in K-3 classrooms to reinforce skills and are available as a lending library for students to bring home. Parents can work with their children to practice skills and to offer encouragement. All materials are marked with a label crediting Merrill Lynch's contribution.

The Lawrence Township Education Foundation (LTEF) was pleased to receive a $5,000 contribution from Merrill Lynch in support of one of its programs. "My Math Closet" will create a lending library of mathematics games and learning aids for use by Slackwood Elementary School students. "We are so excited to have a new partner in our mission to foster educational excellence in Lawrence's schools," says LTEF Executive Director Diane Senerth.

For its part, Merrill Lynch sees the project as a way to increase financial literacy and help young people to improve their own lives and the quality of life in their community. The math abilities developed by this program will help the students to succeed in math in school and beyond.

The games, books and manipulatives will be used by students and their parents to practice skills being taught in their classrooms. Lisa Sassaman, the Slackwood teacher who proposed the project, hopes that it will "promote successful student engagement with math and improve performance on district-wide and state-wide math assessments." But the students are just excited about being able to work with the materials. Sassaman reports that "they ask every day when the games are going to arrive."

The Lawrence Township Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that works to foster educational excellence, creativity and achievement in the Lawrence Township Public Schools. Since 1992, the organization has contributed over $1.3 million to support 230 programs and projects. For more information, call 219-0340 or email info@ltefnj.org.