MST the Place to Be for MATH
At MST, mathematics is more than a subject—it is a thinking process, a problem-solving tool, and a key component of our mission to prepare students for a future driven by innovation, engineering, and technology. We believe all students can grow as mathematicians, and we design learning experiences that help them build confidence, agency, and mastery.
Math as a Foundation for the Future
The human brain is naturally wired for mathematical thinking. Whether students are estimating distance on the playground, calculating time and cost, or analyzing patterns in the world around them, math is a daily part of life. At MST, we help students make these real-world connections through hands-on, relevant tasks that strengthen conceptual understanding and application.
Hands-On, Minds-On Learning
We use a wide range of tools and strategies to help students develop deep, conceptual understanding:
- Concrete manipulatives allow students to visualize mathematical ideas, model problem-solving strategies, and build understanding through hands-on exploration.
- Multiple representations—including verbal explanation, kinesthetic activities, student-created videos, math talks, and performance tasks—give students opportunities to demonstrate their thinking in a variety of ways.
- Real-world and cross-curricular integration connects math to science, engineering, social studies, literacy, and our outdoor learning spaces so students see how math drives every discipline.
Math + Technology + Innovation
Technology is used to engage, enhance, and extend learning, never to replace it. Students regularly use:
- Coding and robotics to strengthen sequencing, logic, and process visualization
- Digital tools to model problems, graph, create tutorials, and showcase their learning
- Interactive platforms that support fluency, reasoning, and authentic application
Coding reinforces the habits of great mathematicians: predicting outcomes, checking for accuracy, adjusting steps, and reflecting on results.
Collaboration in Math & Science
Math is inherently collaborative—mirroring careers in engineering, data science, and technology. Students work together to:
- Analyze problems from multiple angles
- Justify and critique mathematical reasoning
- Engage in productive struggle
- Build communication skills essential for STEM fields
These practices come to life in our classrooms and in our STEM Labs, where students explore engineering challenges, use LabDisc sensors for data collection, and apply mathematical thinking to real-world design problems.
MST the Place to Be for Science
Science at MST is hands on, minds on, and driven by curiosity. Students engage in authentic scientific inquiry, real world investigations, and engineering design challenges that mirror the work of scientists in the field.
Design Days and STEM Integration
Every student participates in schoolwide Design Days each semester, where hands on STEM challenges integrate science, math, engineering, and technology. These experiences connect students with real world problem solving and introduce them to a wide range of STEM careers.
Reflection, Revision, and Student Voice
Students are empowered to think like scientists by collecting evidence, revising ideas, and communicating their findings.
Technology Driven Investigation
Students use iPads, LabDisc sensors, microscopes, digital measurement tools, and interactive simulations to collect and analyze scientific data. Technology helps students visualize abstract concepts, track long term investigations, and document their learning.
Outdoor Learning and Garden Science
Our outdoor learning garden serves as a living laboratory. Students conduct investigations connected to Biology, Geology, weather, ecosystems, sustainability, and environmental science. Through partnerships with community organizations, students participate in:
- Soil and water testing
- Composting and decomposition studies
- Plant and pollinator research
- Data collection using LabDisc sensors and iPads
These experiences help students apply classroom learning to the natural world around them.
- Soil and water testing
MST the Place to Be for Technology
- We see ourselves as trailblazers for the District with the use of technology in the classrooms.
- We were first in the District to deploy 1-to-1 student devices.
- We pilot a variety of digital tools to determine efficacy and impact on student engagement and understanding.
- Learning at MST is a student-centered experience that allows students to drive their educational journey as they find opportunities for voice, choice, and student agency.
- We routinely design instruction to allow students to set goals, problem-solve, and monitor their progress through digital feedback.
- We maintain a culture of risk-taking and creative problem-solving. A huge part of the MST culture is one of being comfortable failing and revising to try again. This is evidenced in classrooms every day as students journey from their comfort zones through challenge-based, creative tasks, as well as through schoolwide design days where students work in groups to solve challenges utilizing a design-thinking model.
- We make room for student voice and agency.
- MST students have choices in how and where they learn, going much further than simply offering choice boards and flexible seating.
- After learning new concepts, students select the best tools and applications to apply their learning or to teach their peers, using iMovie, Clips, Pages, Keynote, GarageBand, Numbers, and AR Makr.
MST students have the opportunity to explore coding through the campus K-2 and 3-6 STEM labs, where they use various apps for hands-on learning.
- Ozobots
- Robotics
- Bee Bots
- Dash Robots
- Squish Circuits
- Swift Playground
- Octostudio Coding
- 1:1 iPad 7th generation for teachers and students
- 1:1 Logitech Crayon for all staff and students
- Apple TV in all classrooms
- 100% of instructional staff are Apple Teacher Certified.
- We have two Apple Learning Coaches.
MST the Place to Be for STEM4ALL
Science ● Technology ● Engineering ● Math
- National STEM Certification – NISE
- STEM Classes – Overview
- Outdoor Learning
- Schoolwide Design Challenge Days
Our Mission
Our Vision
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