Hillcrest, Oct. Family Newsletter
Building Strong Math Fact Fluency at Home
Dear Families,
Math fact fluency is one of the most important building blocks in early elementary school. When children can quickly and accurately recall basic addition and subtraction facts (and later multiplication and division), they are able to focus on problem-solving instead of getting “stuck” on simple calculations.
Math fact fluency means being able to recall basic math facts accurately and efficiently. In K–3, this includes:
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Kindergarten: Adding and subtracting within 5
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1st Grade: Adding and subtracting within 10
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2nd Grade: Adding and subtracting within 20 (with speed and accuracy)
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3rd Grade: Multiplication and division facts
Fluency is not about timed pressure—it’s about confidence and automatic recall.
5 Simple Ways to Practice at Home
1. Keep Practice Short and Positive
5–10 minutes a day is plenty. Stop before your child feels frustrated. Celebrate effort and improvement, not just speed.
2. Make It a Game
Learning sticks when it’s fun! Try:
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Flashcard races (beat your own time)
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Dice addition (roll two dice and add)
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Card games (War with addition facts)
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“Around the World” style family challenges
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Online math fact games recommended by your school
3. Use Everyday Math
Point out math in daily life:
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“We have 8 apples and eat 3. How many are left?”
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“If we need 12 napkins and already have 7, how many more do we need?”
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Counting change at the store
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Adding scores during sports or board games
Real-world math builds meaning behind the numbers.
4. Focus on Strategy First
Before memorizing, students should understand strategies like:
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Making 10
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Doubles facts (6 + 6)
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Doubles +1 (6 + 7)
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Counting on
Understanding makes memorization easier and longer lasting.
5. Encourage a Growth Mindset
It’s okay if facts don’t come quickly at first. Remind your child:
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“Your brain grows when you practice.”
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“Mistakes help us learn.”
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“You’re getting stronger every day!”
What to Avoid
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Long, stressful timed drills
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Comparing siblings or classmates
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Practicing only the “hard” facts repeatedly without breaks
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Turning practice into punishment
Why It Matters
When children know their math facts automatically:
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They solve multi-step problems more easily
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They feel more confident in math class
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They are better prepared for upper elementary math
If you have questions about your child’s progress or would like additional practice ideas, please reach out to your child’s teacher. Working together, we can help every learner become a confident mathematician!
Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we support your child’s learning and growth. Together, we are helping them develop the skills, confidence, and curiosity they need to succeed—now and in the years ahead. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone, at 605-696-4600, or by email, at kate.mogard@k12.sd.us.
Kate Mogard
Hillcrest Elementary Principal
Guest Readers 📚
Brookings High School FFA students visited each classroom this week to share a story.
Read Across America Week 📖
We celebrated Read Across America Week with dress-up days, guest readers, mystery books on announcements, and a lot of reading!
FFA Petting Zoo 🚜
ECE, Pre-K, JK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade classes visited the FFA Petting Zoo at the high school. The tractors were a favorite!
FFA Petting Zoo 🐓
Learners had a great time meeting and petting the animals!
Super Scientists 🔬
2nd graders worked in groups to sort objects based on their textures.
Chicks! 🐤
The baby chicks are the highlight of the petting zoo every year!
Kindergarten Registration is Open!
We're excited to share our improved kindergarten screening process! Instead of screening in the spring, we'll use the first two weeks of school as an observation period where our kindergarten team gets to know your child through play, classroom activities, and authentic assessments. This relationship-based approach allows us to make permanent classroom placements based on current information about your child's abilities, friendships, and learning style. By the end of Week 2, you'll receive your child's classroom assignment.
To learn more or to register your child, visit the Kindergarten Registration page on the BSD website.
Families who are interested in our Junior Kindergarten should complete this form. Children must be 5 years old by September 1st for our Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten classes. Please call the office if you have questions.
A Message from Hillcrest PTA:
What we need help with:
- Hillfest volunteers: Sign Up Genius Link
- Please sign up if you can help. Please pass on the link if you know of a group or individual who would be interested.
- We need some old towels for Hillfest games involving water. If you have some you would like to donate, please bring them to the office with a note that they are for Hillfest.
Upcoming dates:
Hillfest + Raffle – Saturday, March 7
Teacher Appreciation Week - May 4-8
Click here to start the process.
You can also view your balance and add money to your account here. Please reach out to Mrs. Mogard if you need assistance - we are here to help!
Receive information from the school district and choose the buildings you want information from by downloading the app for your device below. Be sure you have Hillcrest checked for notifications!
More information:
App Download:
Download for Android https://bit.ly/3NE5Vdg
Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3NG9AHi
Important Brookings School District Dates
- March 5: 2nd Grade Concert (6:00 p.m.) & 3rd Grade Concert (7:00 p.m.) @ Hillcrest
- March 7: Hillfest 🎉
- March 12 & 13: No School (Spring Break)
- April 2-6: No School (Spring Break)
- April 16: 1st Grade Concert (7:00 p.m.)
- May 19: Last Day of School - Noon Dismissal
Visit our District Calendar Page for more dates and information!
