NEW ULM — Following presentations by math instructors Thursday, the New Ulm Public School Board unanimously approved math resource recommendations for students in grades 5-12.

Middle school math instructor Samuel Johnson recommended Math & You by Cengage. The program covers two levels of math enrichment for 7th and 8th grade students plus courses for 5th and 6th graders.

Johnson said all courses meet the new Minnesota standards and use an online platform for daily assignments, assessments and supplementary materials.

“It’s very interesting how many different ways there are to teach math,” said Johnson. “Math & You sparks curiosity and encourages students to make instructional connections that enhance deeper-level understanding of math and it’s relevance, preparing them for success in high school and beyond. Our goal of engaging students in problem solving skills that will help them in real world situations aligns closely with this program.”

High school math instructor Jessica Hemiller recommended Reveal by McGraw-Hill. The program covers algebra fundamentals, geometry and honors geometry for freshmen and sophomores plus probability and statistics for sophomores and juniors. College trigonometry and algebra is available for juniors and seniors plus calculus for seniors.

Hemiller said all courses include ALEKS, an online resource that assesses students on their strengths and areas of needed improvement, then creates supplemental resources for individual student improvement needs.

She said students will be allowed to retake all assessments after making a plan and correcting their mistakes.

Hemiller said students not meeting expectations through grade posting every three weeks with get individual times with a teacher, schedule time with a math interventionist and/or a higher level math student who volunteers to tutor.

“It was a lot to discover but I’m excited about moving forward. The new curriculum supports teachers as they endeavor to help students advance their understanding of math concepts and apply mathematical reasoning to real world problem solving challenges,” said Hemiller.