2017 MCTM Math Contest results

Over 4000 Montana mathletes in grades 7-12 participated in the 2017 MCTM Math Contest this spring!  Participating students completed three 30 minute tests based on grade-level content.  Contest writers (all Montana math teachers) started correlating the tests with Common Core math standards in 2013.  

There are currently 12 regional contests:  Billings, Butte, Glasgow, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Livingston, Midstate (Winnett), Missoula, Sidney, and Southeast (Plevna).  The top male and female senior participants in each of these regions is awarded a $200 scholarship (must complete calculus and statistics based tests). Many regional contests also give out a plethora of prizes – from plaques to pizza coupons to graphing calculators.

 

Students who earn three superior ratings at their regional contests earn an achievement pin. 14 students from 12 different schools scored in the top 15% at the state level for each of the three tests that they completed this year. These state champion mathletes were rewarded with locker magnets.   

Most contests occur in March of each year. Not sure how to get your students involved in an MCTM regional math contest?  Contact Shari Kepner at math.contest.mctm@gmail.com or check out the MCTM website’s contest page at http://montanamath.org/?p=contest for regional director contact information, dates, and copies of past tests. Numerous regions hold their contests at colleges and universities, so these events are also an easy way to get your students to take a look at some higher education campuses. Join the fun in 2018!

A special thank you to Shari Kepner (our state contest director), Tony Riehl (or registration and scoring expert), our contest site directors, and our test writers for all that they do to make this contest possible. 

Nominate someone you know

The Dean Preble Award

The Dean Preble Memorial is awarded annually to a Montana educator who has made significant contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics and who has consistently assumed a leadership role among math educators. Teacher-leaders at all levels, kindergarten through university, are eligible.

The Award

This award is given in memory of our colleague Dean Preble, who passed away from cancer in the fall of 1998. Dean was recognized for his unfailing support for mathematics education in the state of Montana. His dedication to the mathematics teaching profession, his love of his students, his involvement in state and national mathematics organizations, and his devotion to the improvement of mathematics education for all were unparalleled.

One of Dean's wishes was to establish an annual award to recognize outstanding teachers and leaders of mathematics in Montana. In keeping with his wish, MCTM created the Dean Preble Memorial Award. The award consists of an inscribed plaque, a $300 stipend, and a lifetime membership in MCTM. The award is presented at the MCTM annual meeting in October.

Award Criteria

Any member of MCTM may submit a nomination. Current members of the MCTM Board of Directors may not be nominated for this award.

• The nominee must be a current MCTM member.
• The nominee must have taught mathematics in Montana.
• The nominee must have a record of significant and consistent contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics.
• The nominee must have a substantial record of participation and leadership in professional activities involving mathematics education.

Nomination Procedure

Nominations should consist of a maximum of two, double-spaced, typewritten pages and should directly address the criteria outlined above. The name, address, telephone number, and present position of both the nominee and the nominator must be included.

Deadline for submissions for the Dean Preble Memorial Award is June 15 annually. Nominations may be sent or e-mailed to:

Cliff Bara

Box 610

Troy - MT - 59935

cuda11235@gmail.com

Election Results

Congratulations are in order for our new board members and our new president elect.  Thank you to the election committee and to all the members that were willing to run for a position. 

Shari Kepner, Region 3 won the at large director position
Holly Redman, Region 5 won the Region 5 director position
Leslie Bogar, Region 5 is the new President Elect

Small Classroom Grant Award Winner - Nancy Pehl

As the 2016-2017 school year began I volunteered to be on our district’s STEM committee.  The committee included our 1st grade teacher, high school science teacher and myself.  We met the end of September and decided to concentrate on our 6th, 7th and 8th graders, 28 students.  The next step was deciding what type of project to undertake with them.  I attended a workshop at MEA which discussed a project similar to pinewood derby cars and races which caught my interest.  At our next committee meeting we looked through the Pitsco web page.  We decided to order their dragster kits. 

The dragsters are powered by CO2 cartridges and launched with a starting gate.   While waiting for the kits to arrive we had the students do some research on jobs related to the automobile industry such as mechanics, insurance, highway construction, to name a few.  We also talked with the students about how the CO2 cartridges work.  We did not meet with them in December but in January started building the cars.  We met with half the group each time and were glad for the smaller numbers as they needed more help than expected putting the cars together from the kits.  The next time we met we talked about friction and ways to possibly make their car faster.  We then met with them in the high school shop and they did some ‘doctoring’ on their cars.  Using sandpaper, chisels, and small saws was new to many.  We only had to glue one car back together!   We were then ready for the trial races.  All of us were amazed at how fast the cars went.  The end of January we raced the fastest cars at halftime of a basketball game.  The audience loved it!  The top three winners received ‘chamber bucks.’

We hope to do a similar project next year possibly using an inclined plane.  Thanks to all MCTM friends for helping fund this project.

Nancy Pehl

High School Math Teacher

Terry Public Schools