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The Pella School Board approved the purchase of several site licenses for educational computer software at this past week’s meeting. Pella Schools Superintendent Mark Wittmer said the district had been looking for an academic tool to help elementary students build their math skills and had some good results with the SuccessMaker program.

“We kind of did some pilot work with the fourth and fifth grades this year, and I think that the staff members who were involved with that really felt that it was a real asset – not only to many of the kids who struggle with math, but we were able to expand the opportunity of the kids that weren’t struggling in math, but had the opportunity to do some additional enrichment kinds of things as far as math is concerned,” said Wittmer.

To open up the program to more students, the Pella School Board approved the purchase of additional licenses to open up the opportunities to students across all elementary grade levels.

“I’d say it’s the normal practice if there’s something out there that’s good for kids that’s going to enhance their educational experience, then the board is going to look for any way possible to make that happen, and they chose to do that” added Wittmer. “I think the staff will be excited, and I think the kids who get a chance to experience that will enjoy the additional exposure to math through that particular format.”

The purchase of 34 site licenses at a cost of $34,300 is something Wittmer says will be a great asset to many students, for which success in math does not come easily.