Family events set at Lincoln-McKinley, Sunnyside

Just past the school year's halfway mark, students and teachers are excited to show off what they've been doing since August.

They will start demonstrating their work with a family activity night from 5:30 to 6:30 p. m. Monday at Lincoln-McKinley Primary School. The week wraps up Friday, Jan. 27, with an afternoon event, from 2:10 to 3:20 p. m., at Sunnyside Intermediate School.

Marilyn Granell, a third-grade teacher, said the Lincoln-McKinley event will be called "Chilling Out With Math, " referring to both the fun game-playing activities and the chili and cornbread dinner the school will be serving.

The family members of all students are encouraged to come play a series of card-based games that help reinforce fundamental skills like mental math and strategic thinking. Participants even get a deck of cards and sets of game rules to continue playing at home.

"We love it when all of the family comes, grandma and grandpa, we love to have the whole family, " Granell said. "As teachers we hope to instill a love of math and a love of learning. "

Lincoln-McKinley also did this last autumn, and it was quite popular. As Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson recalls, there was hardly an open seat in the house.

"I was ecstatic, " Carlson said. "I wish I could gather an audience like that. "

Sunnyside is also continuing their afternoon fun on Jan. 27 with "Cookies and Cards, " a similar family-oriented event, reinforcing math skills with card games.

Leslie Staples, fourth-grade teacher at Sunnyside, said the school's last event got a large crowd of parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents coming to visit and play games with the students.

"We think it gives the students an opportunity to play games with their family and work on their math skills, " Staples said, "so they can sort of show off their skills. "

Carlson is excited for the community to see some of the work that he is so proud of in the schools.

"I really appreciate the schools making an effort to connect with our community, " Carlson said. "This is a great way to have an extension of the classroom and for the parents to get an idea of what their kids are learning in school. "