Those tools come in the form of new math textbooks. And they're resources that Freeport school leaders hope improve student achievement. These are samples of the new textbooks the board will consider Wednesday night. They're replacing 8-year-old math books and will be used for students from 7th to 12th grade. Freeport High School Principal David Thake says the proposed books integrate different math skills to better prepare students for state exams and beyond. There's also an interactive technology component that can allow teacher's to know faster, who's getting it and who's not.
"The teacher, while she's going around the classroom, can observe the students working the problem and they can go to the computer screen on their computer and they can identify how many of the students got it right, which students got it right, which students were struggling," Thake said. The entire package would cost the district about $84,000 dollars. Superintendent Peter Flynn says the school board hasn't raised concerns about the new textbooks during earlier reviews this summer.
Also Wednesday night, the board will consider textbooks for a debate class at the high school. Principal Thake says there's been growing interest in the class partly because of the upcoming anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas debate in Freeport.