Winchester High School

Math Department

Elizabeth Often
Director of Math (6-12)
781-721-7020 x4272
eoften@winchesterps.org

The Winchester Public Schools strives to offer a cohesive, coherent, and challenging program to all learners, K-12. We recognize that mathematical literacy is as essential as verbal literacy and scientific literacy. Therefore, the primary goal of the Winchester Public Schools mathematics program is to enable all students to achieve mathematical literacy. The characteristics of a mathematically literate person are encapsulated in the Mathematical Practice Standards of the Massachusetts Frameworks. In Winchester Public Schools, we expect that all students will be able to

Make sense of mathematical problems and persevere in solving them
Reason both abstractly and quantitatively
Explain their reasoning and discuss another student’s reasoning
Model real world problems using mathematics
Use technology as appropriate to support learning and problem solving
Be precise in their answers to problems
Recognize and use patterns and relationships between mathematical ideas in order to solve problems

The Mathematics Department at Winchester High School offers a four year sequence of courses for all students, which accommodates students with varied background and aptitude in Mathematics. Curricula for our courses are constantly being updated and designed with input from the NCTM standards, the Massachusetts Frameworks and the College Board; we believe, however, that all students should be taught many skills, concepts and applications that go beyond the expectations of these standards. Our goals are to lead our students into higher-level critical thinking and problem solving as well as to enable our students to apply previously learned mathematical concepts and skills into new situations.

The Winchester High School graduation requirement for Mathematics is two years but the Mathematics Department encourages all students to continue with the study of Mathematics throughout their four years. We believe this will better prepare them for college and their future careers.

We believe in a variety of instructional methods appropriate to the material being taught and to student needs and interests. Technology provides a dynamic approach to the learning of Mathematics, and these tools are used for exploration and investigation as well as for the development and extension of mathematical topics. A graphing calculator is an integral part of all courses beyond STAG 1. Within the Mathematics Department there are multiple levels of study. Prerequisites for all courses are indicated in the individual course descriptions. Placement in courses is based on the student’s grades, the recommendation of the teacher, performance on department exams, and student/parent input. Students and parents are always strongly encouraged to appeal any decision which they feel is not in the student’s best interest.