About our Math Program

Elementary School

Beginning in Pre-Kindergarten and continuing through grade five, our students learn the foundations of number systems and how to explain their answers by looking for multiple entry points. They use abstract reasoning to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others and create mathematical models of problems that arise in the real world. A cornerstone of our program are the mathematical discussions that occur between students during math where every student is asked to explain their own reasoning behind their problem-solving methods. Our Bridges for Mathematics (link opens in new window) program helps students to look for and make use of structures and patterns that occur in math including the understanding that multiplication is the same thing as adding the same groups of numbers.

Middle School

In Middle School, students continue this exploration with further exploration of ratios and proportional relationships, the number system (including fractions, decimals, and rational numbers), algebraic expressions, geometry, statistics, and probability. Students in middle school are utilizing the College Preparatory Math (CPM) (link opens in new window) math series and our math program is appropriately leveled to meet the needs of all learners.

For more information about the courses offered, please click here (link opens in new window). 

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Enrichment Programming

Our most advanced learners, those who are consistently performing well above their peers, receive accelerated curricular programming throughout the course of their day. During seventh and eighth grade, Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 partners with Lake Forest High School District 115 to offer several high level math courses. For students who need additional support in the area of math, there are programs offered through the the District’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) program and the District’s special education program both of which utilize curricular materials that supplement classroom learning and that align to the Illinois Learning Standards.