Shoreline Math Olympiad receives Community Recognition Award

Shoreline Math Olympiad committee
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Shoreline Math Olympiad was among those honored by the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) at its Community Recognition Awards luncheon held May 17 at the Puget Sound Educational Service District in Renton. \

Each year, WASA 110, which includes Shoreline, holds a luncheon and an awards ceremony to honor community leaders nominated by their respective districts.

Representing Shoreline Math Olympiad at the event were Lisa McDonald, Suzanne Gugger, Jacqui Rublee, Amy Stapleton, Catherine Thompson, and Santosh Zachariach, along with Superintendent Sue Walker and Ellen Kaje, director of ELL, Title I, LAP, and Highly Capable Programs.

Every school in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park
participated in the 2013 Math Olympiad

For 15 years, Shoreline Math Olympiad has been bringing together students in grades 4 to 8 from Shoreline and Lake Forest Park for fun, friendly competition and learning. The event has grown steadily over the years.  The 2013 event, held on March 9 at Shoreline Community College, served over 700 "Mathletes” from every public and private school in the community. More than 150 volunteers assisted with the event. 

The guiding force of Shoreline Math Olympiad for the past 10 years has been committee chair Lisa McDonald, a Shoreline Schools parent who has given thousands of hours of her time to this effort. Each year Lisa brings together her planning team of community volunteers and expertly manages the event, which begins at the school level with Math Olympiad clubs that encourage students to learn challenging, above grade-level math concepts.

Teachers and parent volunteers coordinate Math Clubs, which can range from small group work to full classroom settings. Students are presented with appropriate math problems that challenge each grade level. Shoreline Math Olympiad awards medals to the top 40 percent of the individuals participating, and the top 60 percent of teams participating.  Each year the gymnasium is filled with hundreds of parents and children as the medals and team trophies are awarded.