Pierce Terrace Elementary Revives Math Night to Spark Love for Learning
Pierce Terrace Pierce Terrace Elementary School, a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school serving military-connected students, hosted its first Math Night in over four years on March 13. The event brought students and their families together to explore math in an engaging way through interactive stations. Designed to support children of military personnel—who often face challenges like frequent moves and parental deployments—Math Night offered a free opportunity for families to connect over learning while making math fun.
After hours, the staff transformed the school into a hub of activity, setting up six math stations that focused on foundational skills like estimation, number recognition, sequences, geometry, and addition. At one station, dubbed the Estimation Jar, students guessed the number of balls in a jar to hone their estimation skills, earning stamps and a chance at prizes. Other stations featured hands-on tasks like crafting beaded bracelets to explore patterns or rolling dice in a game to practice addition. These activities were carefully planned to teach math basics in an enjoyable way, as kindergarten teacher Ms. Erica Olson noted. “It helps parents get involved, which matters for military families,” she said, highlighting the event’s dual focus on education and community.
Students who visited all the stations earned a Dragon Dollar, a reward tied to the school’s incentive program, adding an extra layer of excitement. Beyond the games, Math Night gave military families a chance to support their children’s learning and build connections despite their unique challenges. This focus on community and academic engagement is a key reason DoDEA schools consistently top national rankings on the NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Known as the ‘Nation’s Report Card,’ the NAEP measures student performance in subjects like math and reading across the U.S., and DoDEA schools consistently outpace the states in these assessments. For PTES, the event underscored its commitment to both academic growth and community support.
The evening proved a success, drawing a strong turnout and enthusiastic feedback from attendees. Families and staff alike expressed hope for more events like this in the future. Through Math Night, Pierce Terrace demonstrated its dedication to strengthening ties and supporting its military-connected students, reinforcing its vital role within DoDEA.
