Math That Builds Confidence and Curiosity

The math program at Harbor Day School is designed to build strong mathematical skills, develop critical thinking, and cultivate confidence and excitement for this important subject. Entering Middle School in 5th grade, our students continue to advance in the Singapore Math curriculum, solidifying their computational and mental math skills and growing in their ability to reason logically. The Dimensions math program is rich with challenging word problems and prepares students to move forward in their math studies.

All of our 6th grade students study pre-algebra. This course builds a foundation in basic algebraic

principles and also explores important geometry concepts. Moving into 7th and 8th grades, our students study algebra over one or two years. Those students who complete their algebra study in one year then go on to study geometry in 8th grade. Algebra is the foundation for the mathematics our students will study in high school, and we provide a strong algebra curriculum that builds confidence and competence in this important subject.

All of our students, regardless of their path, leave Harbor Day well equipped to succeed in their high-school math classes. The feedback that we receive from high schools is that Harbor Day students have a solid understanding of concepts and also the discipline and work habits that are essential for success in advanced math courses. To quote the department chair from St. Margaret's Episcopal School to which our students matriculate: “I have always been so impressed with the Harbor Day math curriculum. Students from Harbor Day are extremely well prepared for high-school math. They are organized with good study skills and they know how to learn in a rigorous environment. Most importantly, they are excellent logical thinkers who know how to apply their knowledge to a variety of problems and applications.”

In addition to the core math curriculum, our math teachers provide many enrichment opportunities

for students to pursue their growth and enjoyment of mathematics. Our middle school classrooms have weekly and wall stumpers to challenge students to “think outside the box”, and our students enjoy tackling and solving these problems. Harbor Day also has a Middle School Math Club, which meets weekly at Monday recess. Students eagerly attack math problems amidst friendly competition, and they take pride in explaining their reasoning to their fellow club members. Math Club draws interest from all sorts of math students and is a place to have fun with math without worrying about getting a grade. Continental Math League (CML), which begins in the 2nd grade, continues through the Middle School as well. Our students enjoy these challenges as the questions are intriguing and help them to grow as creative mathematical thinkers. 

Harbor Day’s middle school students participate in national and local math competitions, giving our

students the opportunity to match up against the best and brightest mathematicians. Our students do quite well in these contests. More importantly, they have a great time spending the day in math! Some of the competitions in which we have competed are:

• American Mathematics Competition (AMC 8): This competition is the first step in the path to the U.S. Mathematical Olympiad and the International Mathematical Olympiad. The AMC 8 gives students an opportunity to put their math skills to the test beyond what they normally see in math class. This year’s competition will be held on Wednesday, January 28.
• Math Open at Andover: In its 8th year, Phillips Andover Academy hosts a challenging, prestigious competition both in person and virtually. Four of our middle school students, Abby Robinson, Victoria Sun, Ophelia Wu, and Alex Xia, accepted the challenge to wake up at 5 AM to start working through DIFFICULT math problems for almost 8 hours! Over 500 students across the country (and world) competed in the virtual format, and one of our Harbor Day mathletes, Victoria Sun, placed 4th in the Speed Round!
• MathCounts: Harbor Day has participated in this prestigious contest that begins regionally at UC Irvine, moving up to state level and ultimately a national competition that is televised on ESPN.

At Harbor Day, we recognize that math is a critical part of our students’ education. Our middle school math program is strong, and it is enhanced with many enrichment opportunities that challenge our students. Harbor Day builds a solid math foundation for our students while giving them many opportunities to have fun with math, generate confidence, and grow in their excitement for this important subject.

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About Meggen Stockstill: 

A member of the faculty since 1996, Mrs. Stockstill teaches algebra and geometry and serves as the Mathematics Department Chair at Harbor Day School. The valedictorian of her high school class, Mrs. Stockstill graduated summa cum laude from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a minor in chemistry, and a mathematics single-subject teaching credential. She continued her education with graduate level training in mathematics, studying probability and statistics at Drexel University and Villanova University. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Mu Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi honorary societies, Mrs. Stockstill was a research analyst for AT&T and a substitute teacher in the public school system before coming to Harbor Day School. Since joining the faculty at Harbor Day School, Mrs. Stockstill has continued her professional development by regularly attending workshops and conferences in mathematics and technology. Mrs. Stockstill believes that students learn math best when teachers make it fun and show math’s beauty and power. She is delighted to be doing this with the students at Harbor Day School. In her spare time, Mrs. Stockstill enjoys swimming, running, reading, cooking, and spending time with her six grandchildren.