Students at our school certainly know how to put their math skills to good use as a recent mathethon event added up to a major contribution to support new Canadian students and the work of the Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation.

The mathethon fundraiser, organized by our Home and School, raised a total of almost $16,600, with $8,500 being donated to the foundation to provide language materials to help new Canadian students in Saskatoon Public Schools and to support the foundation’s summer reading camp program.

But the effort by our students and school community will have a double impact as a matching donation contribution by private donors Brian and Kathy Turnquist will result in a total of $17,000 for the foundation.

“With the help of Willowgrove School and the Turnquists we’ll be able to purchase dual-language books and picture dictionaries for English as an additional language learners, including students arriving as refugees from Syria and other conflict zones,” said Alison Robertson, the foundation’s executive director.

“Those resources can also be used in the classroom throughout the year and in more intensive English as an additional language supports. The donation will also help cover costs for nutritious snacks for kids attending the Summer Reading Camp.”

One of our Grade 3 classrooms led the class fundraising effort by collecting $1,455.25, while one of our kindergarten students contributed $488. An additional reward for students was seeing some of our staff take part in some fun activities on stage during a school assembly.

The remaining funds collected as part of the mathethon will be used by the Home and School organization to continue its support of learning opportunities at our school.