CoMath Update for February 3, 2023

Whenever I get asked about math PD for Colorado teachers, I often do a little math in my head. It goes like this, "If there are approximately 20,000 K-12 teachers of mathematics in Colorado, and they all want to get a day of dedicated math PD, how many PD opportunities do we need to provide?" The answer is: A LOT. (This is probably not a good example of attending to precision.) That's why I'm excited that I have such a long list of items to share in this month's CoMath Update. Teachers, this would be a great time to advocate for yourself and talk to your leadership about securing the funds to attend one or more of these events. If you don't see the kind of PD you're looking for, let me know and together we can find a training or an organization that meets your needs.

CDE ESSER Curriculum Grant for K-12 Mathematics

I do not have details to share quite yet, but be aware that CDE is in the process of putting together a grant program for the purchase and support of high-quality instructional materials for K-12 mathematics. It will share many similarities with last year's grant, but this will only cover eligible math materials and will be extended to include high school.

Colorado Math Leaders

The next meeting of the Colorado Math Leaders is Tuesday, February 7 from 12:00 to 3:30. As usual, we'll start with a half hour informal lunch, followed by math pathways work from 12:30 to 1:30, then an "all together" meeting from 1:30 to 2:30, before finishing with work on math interventions from 2:30 to 3:30. You're welcome to attend for all or just part of the meeting.

Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics

CCTM is seeking candidates to run for multiple board positions this spring, including NCTM Representative and Region Representatives from Region 1, Region 4, and Region 7.

CCTM is also planning an event for the Denver area this summer on June 29, to follow the NCSM Summer Leadership Academy (see below). More details will be forthcoming.

MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge)

The MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge) is a free contest for high school juniors and seniors in the U.S. and sixth form students in England and Wales. The Challenge is entirely Internet-based with no registration or participation fees. Scholarships totaling $100,000 are awarded annually. Registration closes on February 24 and Challenge Weekend is March 3-6.

It's MATHCOUNTS Season!

Good luck to all those 7th and 8th graders competing in the MATHCOUNTS chapter competitions with events in Longmont (Feb 4), Westminster (Feb 10), Denver (Feb 4), Thornton (Feb 25), Greeley (Feb 18), Colorado Springs (Feb 11), Pueblo (Feb 25), and Grand Junction (Feb 25).

Implementing the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice

NCTM has partnered with the University of Michigan School of Education to produce eight online, practice-based modules designed for teams of teachers to develop the capacity to support students' learning to enact the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Built on theories of practice-based professional development, every module includes opportunities to engage with scenarios of mathematics instruction, collectively learn to identify critical moves for supporting the standards, practice critical moves with their own students, and share their practice with peers and facilitators in order to receive feedback for improvement. The first course is covers SMPs 1, 3, and 6 and runs from February 6th to May 1. The second course covers SMPs 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 and runs from May 1 to September 18. Additional details and registration information can be found on the NCTM website.

Math on the Planes

Math on the Planes is back for 2023 with this year's workshop on Friday, February 24th (4:00-7:30 pm) and Saturday the 25th (8:30 am - 3:30 pm) at Denver Academy. The facilitator this year is Dr. Mindy Adair and the title is "Making Mathematics Meaningful by Expanding Your Identity as a Mathematician." A schedule and registration information is available on the CCLD website at https://www.cocld.org/motp-2023/.

2023 MidSchoolMath National Conference

The MidSchoolMath National Conference will be held March 3-4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico and features both Jo Boaler and José Luis Vilson.

NCTM Virtual Conference

The NCTM 2023 Virtual Conference will be held from March 29 through April 1. The theme for this year’s virtual conference is Amplify & Activate in and Beyond the Classroom, and the live sessions during the week are scheduled for the evening as to allow greater participation from classroom teachers. Member, nonmember, and group registrations are available with discounts for registering by the March 1 early bird deadline.

2023-2024 High-Impact Tutoring Grant

CDE’s High-Impact Tutoring Program Grant will launch its next round of funding in January 2023. An application information webinar will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Intent to Apply forms are due Friday, Feb. 15, and applications are due Wednesday, March 1. More information and application instructions can be found on the HITP grants page.

Save the Date: 2023 Teaching and Learning CoLabs

Save the date! The dates and host sites for this summer's Teaching and Learning CoLabs are:

• Thursday, June 1: Grand Junction, hosted by Colorado Mesa University
• Wednesday, June 14: Greeley, hosted by the University of Northern Colorado
• Friday, June 23: Pueblo, hosted by CSU-Pueblo

The Teaching and Learning CoLabs are one-day, multi-disciplinary regional PD developed in partnership with Colorado's higher education institutions, professional teaching organizations, and CDE. This year's content areas are expanding to include ELA, math, health, PE, science, computer science, social studies, visual and performing arts, and school leadership. Schools are encouraged to attend a CoLab in teams, with teachers representing multiple grades and content areas. Registration will be open in late March but if you are interested in attending, please complete this interest form to stay updated.

Standards Institute

The five-day Standards Institute from UnboundEd will be in Denver June 12-16.

TODOS 2023 Conference

The TODOS 2023 Conference will be held June 21-23 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The early bird registration deadline is May 22 and the registration fee includes five meals and a snack.

NCSM Summer Leadership Academy

It has not been officially announced yet by NCSM, but save the dates of June 26-28, 2023, for the NCSM Summer Leadership Academy. The three-day event is slated to be hosted in the Cherry Creek school district and details should be available soon.

Future Conferences to Watch For

• The NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition will be held in Washington D.C. from October 25-28, 2023.
• The NCSM Annual Conference will be held in Washington D.C. from October 28-31, 2023.