Attleboro Elementary Schools Complete March Madness-Style Learning Initiative

ATTLEBORO — Superintendent David Sawyer is pleased to announce that Attleboro’s elementary schools recently participated in a March Madness-style learning initiative.

Each of the district’s five elementary schools held a friendly competition throughout the month of March to motivate students to work hard and reach goals. The main objective was to increase student outcomes and productivity for the month.

Classes at each school competed against each other in a March Madness-style bracket to earn the most points. At the end of the initiative, one class from each school was named a champion. 

The Thacher, Willett, Hill-Roberts and Hyman Fine elementary schools focused on math learning during their “March Mathness” competition. Students used ST Math, a game-based visual instructional program, to complete puzzles and practice problem-solving skills. Classes competed each week to complete the most ST Math puzzles. The classes with the most points moved on to the next round of the “bracket.” Eliminated classes also continued participating and were able to earn spots in the wildcard round. 

Having already focused on ST Math, the Studley Elementary School took a different approach providing ways for students to earn points through challenges and assignments. Studley students earned points by having high attendance rates, meeting ST Math and Lexia (a computer-based literacy program) goals, writing letters to community members such as firefighters and police officers, exhibiting good behavior, working with other classes and completing homework pieces. 

Teachers could also earn points for their classes by making positive phone calls home and observing other teachers. At the end of the month, the class with the most points became the champion. 

The initiative concluded at the end of March and the winning class from each school could select an award, including trophies, getting to “wrap” the principal and assistant principal in wrapping paper, a special champion breakfast, a dance party or a different option. The winning classes included: Thomas O’Connor’s third-grade class at Hill-Roberts, Jocelyn Farland’s kindergarten class at Hyman Fine, Kristen Desvoyaux’s second-grade class at Studley, Gabrielle Atkinson’s first-grade class at Thacher, and Sarah Kelly’s third-grade class at Willett.

“This initiative was a fun way to engage our elementary students and encourage them to work together with their classmates toward a common goal. The change in routine for the month also helped to provide extra energy and motivation within the schools,” Superintendent Sawyer said. “The initiative was a great success, and I’d like to thank all of the teachers and faculty who helped to coordinate and manage the competitions.”

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