Family Math Night was held on March 15, 2022, in Troy, Alabama, and benefitted students from Pike County and Troy City Schools. Students and their families were invited to participate in a two-hour event that included lessons based on their grade level math content, free math manipulatives to take home, and a meal. Keri Richburg from the Department of Teacher Education at Troy University, along with the Math Specialists from AMSTI (Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative) worked together to build lessons for kindergarten-second grade, third-fifth grade, and sixth-eighth-grade students and their families.
Each group participated in three lessons where students and their families were taught current math concepts with hands-on components. Families were then able to take home any hands-on materials that were used so they could continue practicing math at home. The purpose of the event was to bring together families, students, and teachers to allow them to experience mathematics in a hands-on, enjoyable way, that would empower them to be successful in the classroom. Forty-seven families attended the inaugural math night event and expressed enthusiasm for continuing to offer more events like this in the future. Working to build community and collaboration between families and schools is important to student success in school.