April 2026 CCTM Newsletter

Board Message: Register for the CCTM Summer Conference!

April has a way of reminding us just how much ground we’ve covered—and how close we are to the finish line. Classrooms are full, calendars are packed, and the work right now is both demanding and deeply important. Across Colorado, math educators are showing up every day with persistence, creativity, and care for students. At CCTM, we see that work—and this year’s Summer Conference is designed as a celebration of it. Mathematics Rising: Teachers Leading the Ascent isn’t just our theme—it’s a reflection of the work you’ve been doing all year.

Click Here to Read the Welcome Message

Upcoming Events, Celebrations, Happenings, and Opportunities (ECHO)

Look here to view upcoming CCTM math events and happenings, including:

• CCTM’s Summer Conference, “Mathematics Rising: Teachers Leading the Ascent,” is June 11th and 12th, 2026.  Join us at Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, CO.  This year’s keynote speaker is Latrenda Knighten, President of NCTM.  Registration is only $39!

• The Colorado Academic Standards Review and Revision Committee for high school mathematics has completed their revision work and presented the final draft of the proposed high school math standards to the Colorado State Board of Education in April.  It is anticipated that the Colorado State Board of Education will vote to approve the standards at their May board meeting.  Look for sessions on the revised high school standards presented by CDE and members of the committee at the upcoming CCTM summer conference.

Have you heard?  Colorado is hosting the 105th NCTM annual conference in Denver, October 28-31.  The theme of this year’s conference is Mathematics for a Changing World: Belonging, Learning, and Leading.  This is only the third time Colorado has hosted the national conference.  You won’t want to miss it, and registration is now open.

Click here to view upcoming CCTM math events and happenings!

Countdown to NCTM!

Why Should You Attend?

This is the premier event in mathematics education, and it is in our backyard! This is a time to network with thousands of mathematics educators from around the world!

As an attendee, you will…

• Learn more about effective teaching methods and innovative concepts that boost student achievement.

• Get direct access to the latest tools and technologies from more than 100 leading companies in a world-class exhibit hall.

• Walk away with practical teaching resources you can apply right away.

• Build lifelong connections with other educators to share thoughts, ideas, and practical classroom strategies.

Click here to read more!

 

Partner Spotlight: Forefront Mathematics

In each newsletter, we will highlight one of the amazing partners that collaborates with the CCTM. This will be an opportunity to learn from our amazing partners, not only about effective and amazing teaching practices but also about what they offer to our math community as a whole.

This newsletter will spotlight Forefront Mathematics!

Click here to read more about this partner!

 

Spotlighting Colorado Mathematics Educators and Students

This section of our newsletter allows us to recognize the amazing mathematics teams, educators, and leaders in our community. 

In this newsletter, we are spotlighting a Fifth Grade Team from Evans Elementary School in Colorado Springs, CO.  Gracee Liggett and Shari Solem make up this dynamic team who claim that “Individually, we are strong teachers. Together, we are a team that pushes one another to think deeper, teach better, and continually refine our craft. Our partnership has strengthened not only our students’ mathematical identities, but the math culture at Evans Elementary as a whole. At the heart of our work is a simple belief: every student deserves to feel capable, confident, and courageous in mathematics.”   Read more about this fifth grade team here:

Click here to read the spotlight!

If you would like to nominate an educator, leader, or team to be featured in an upcoming CCTM newsletter spotlight, please use the following form. Those selected to be featured in the spotlight will receive an educational care package (and the person nominating will also receive a care package). Use this link to nominate an individual or a team!

Trivia - A History of Mathematics 

Each newsletter will have a trivia question. From those who answer correctly, two winners will be randomly drawn to receive CCTM swag, which may include a water bottle or a T-shirt.

Submit Your Answer Here

In our last newsletter, we asked you, the members of CCTM, “ She was finally recognized for her work and inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2018. Using a room-sized computer and complex algorithms, she mapped the exact shape of the Earth—an achievement that paved the way for the invention of GPS. Who is she?”

The answer to this question was:  Gladys West

Get YOUR Word Out

Would you like to advertise or elevate an upcoming mathematical opportunity happening around you - in your school, district, region? Do you want to celebrate successes in your mathematical community? Share your happenings in the CCTM’s next newsletter?  Click HERE to submit your events, news or celebrations and be included in the next CCTM Newsletter’s ECHO (Events, Celebrations Happenings, and Opportunities) Section.