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With pizza pies, fruit pies and a score of math games, Mathnasium celebrated its grand reopening in Mountain View on the most auspicious of math days, March 14, also known as Pi Day.
Mathnasium Mountain View-Los Altos, a math learning center, has been around for more than a decade, operating out of a 1,200-square-foot commercial space at the San Antonio shopping center. But on Pi Day, it received the city’s official stamp of approval to open its newly remodeled business that has expanded its footprint to nearly twice the space at 2,200 square feet.
“The building division signed off on the permits this morning,” said Center Director and Owner Kobad Bugwadia, who runs the franchise with his wife, Nancy Bugwadia.
Mathnasium serves students from kindergarten through high school, creating customized math plans and activities for youth who need a little extra help or would like to challenge themselves with advanced topics.
The center, however, is more than just a place to learn math. It also is a welcoming community space for kids to have fun, as seen at the Pi Day celebration where about two dozen children rotated between game tables set up with Pi-themed activities.
“We help kids focus and have fun at math,” said Mathnasium tutor, Jenny Lee, 18, who is a Gunn High School student and has been teaching at the center for two years.
Noor Kabakibo, 13, agreed, stating that it was the best math center in town. Kabakibo had been attending a different math center but did not like it, her mother said. “I used to force her to go,” she said, referring to the other center. “But now she is the one always asking to come here after school,” she laughed.
Kabakibo’s enthusiasm was recognized by the Bugawadias, who presented her with a special award at the event. Each student at Mathnasium receives a card that is filled with stars depending on the number of math exercises they complete. When the card is full, it is matched by $1 that goes to charity. Kabakibo was recognized for her efforts to get students to complete their cards so they could donate more money to local charities.
This year, $500 went to Reach Silicon Valley, a nonprofit organization that helps community members with academic, housing and food security. Executive Director Malia Pires accepted the donation, noting that the support of Mathnasium has been vital to her clients over the years, as they have participated in math learning programs, made possible by Mathnasium scholarships.
Mayor Pat Showalter also attended the celebration, stating that Pi Day was her favorite holiday, in part because it gave her another reason to eat pie but also because math was her go-to subject as a civil engineer.
“Living in Silicon Valley, you all know what happens when you grow up? You become an engineer,” she said to the audience’s laughter.
Oh / how very nice I think it would be, if our local public school district (K-8th MVWSD) staff and Board majority could “see” what appress to be the Gigantic Math GAP problem that faces Hispanic and Economic Disadvantaged students coming out of our two middle schools.
The Ratio of “Meeting Standard” in 8th grade state math testing last year was 1:3.6 for Hispanic : Asian-White. And this ratio was Worse than 5 years ago, pre-Pandemic. And this is what we are sending to compete with Los Altos when they get to high school? Hispanic students, only 23% meeting Standard, often after being ‘Slow Tracked’ for 3 years of middle school?
How about some Mathnasium? Paid by MVWSD instead of Leadership perks like $1,100 per-individual-session “meditation” contracts. Come On People! Get with the Program – public education Resources to the several groups of High Needs Public Education students.
(ask the Voice Reporter about that one!)