Pi Day Party For
Home Educating Families In NorthEast Tennessee
The Amazing Event We've Celebrated for Over 8 Years
- Do your kids sometimes say they do not want to learn Math?
- Would you like to help your kids get excited about Math, through fun lessons and activities?
- Do you have teenagers who think “Math is boring” or teenagers who absolutely love Math?
- Do you have a babe-in-arms, and wonder how on earth you are supposed to manage teaching your older kids while caring for the wee ones? Would you like to hear from experienced parents how to address such challenges?
- Would your little kids, older kids, or teenagers enjoy a special day of lessons and games while you connect with other home-educating parents?
About Our Pi Day Party Event
Is this for toddlers and young kids? Will there be a Mommy and Me group?
Yes, absolutely! This event is truly for all ages.
The Mommy-and-Me group will include Math in the Kitchen, music, and connecting with other moms to encourage one another.
The Math Scavenger Hunt after lunch IS for all ages, but our youngest usually prefer the playground option! So, you can enjoy playground time after 12:30—kids play and moms talk! We hope you can stay for this, and if your youngest has older siblings participating then you need to stay.
But if the oldest child you are bringing is 7 or younger, then you-whose-kids-are-all-super-young can leave at 12:30.
To emphasize: if you have one or more kids older than 7, which is most of us, you need to stay until 2:45. Please don’t register if your whole family cannot stay until 2:45, as that takes away space from another family who could. There is fun playground time for the youngest during the super-fun Math Scavenger Hunt the older kids are doing.
Is this for teenagers too?
Yes, absolutely! This event is truly for all ages.
For example, our teens will learn from an a retired physician who will talk about all of the data doctors measure as kids grow…and what that means, and how it’s displayed on charts.
Can I come for just part of the day?
No, you cannot come for just part of the day.
Space is limited. We can only welcome people who can be here at 9:00 and stay until 2:45.
We have ONE exception, and that is only for those in the Mommy-and-Me class—see above about “babies and toddlers” for that policy.
We will not run late. All activities will finish at or just before 2:45. You’ll be glad you came!
What does it cost?
The minimum donation to register is
$7 per student or $25 per family,
The earlier you register, the more likely you are to get your preferred day. We are having the same party Wednesday and Friday; choose which day fits your calendar best.
Most of our teachers and other helpers are donating their time and skills; they are doing this gladly.
But we do need help covering our expenses. Thank you!
9:00—2:45 is a long time!
What will we do all day?
- Creative lessons led by excellent teachers
- Picnic lunch
- Math Scavenger Hunt
- Door Prizes—EVERY kid gets a door prize, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors!
- Eat PIE!
What Are The Goals of This Event?
- To inspire kids of all ages to want to study Math
- To encourage and equip home-educating parents
- To teach lessons in Math and in other subjects related to Math
- To help students discover that Math and logical thinking skills are important to so many areas of life
Do Parents Need to Stay With their Kids All Day?
We hope all parents WILL stay all day, because a primary goal of this event is to better encourage and equip YOU!
You get to observe excellent teachers and gather ideas from them regarding how to enrich your students’ learning on a day-to-day basis.
You also get to connect with other parents! There is a Parent-Hang-Out room available all morning. Just ask someone who came last year, and you’ll hear that this room was a favorite of so many moms! People met each other and just talked about all manner of things. This room will be open all morning and you are welcome to “pop in” and stay awhile!
What do people say,
who have been to Pi Day Parties in the past?
What Group Organizes this Event?
The Pi Day Party is a 501(c)3. Alison Meredith is the director; and Many other people help with this organization.
Why is the Cost so Low? Who Funds this?
The cost is so low because leaders and businesses in our community are honored to support the goals of this event, and we do not want any parent to choose to not participate due to cost. The sponsors of this event, who have generously given cash or in-kind donations will be shared with all participants.
A donation of any amount is most welcome, and will be used not only to offset our general expenses but also to buy more door prizes and to invest in better Pi Day Parties for future years. If your business would like to sponsor this event, or if you would just like to make an anonymous donation, please reach out to support@pidayparty.org
What is Pi Day, and What’s the History of Celebrating it?
For any circle, of any size, the distance around that circle divided by the distance across that circle equals 3.14159. . . pi is an irrational number, so that precise decimal continues infinitely without ever repeating itself.
In the 1990s, some Math teachers had an idea. Since 3.14 is a common approximation for Pi, why don’t we celebrate “Pi Day” with our students on March 14th? The goal was simple: help kids remember that fabulous, fun, irrational number Pi. We called it a success if the only thing a student remembered from a Pi Day celebration was:
(Lazy grammar is purposeful in the below quote. This captures what most teenagers would actually say, months after our Pi Day celebration, if someone asked them “What is Pi?”)
“Well, one day in March, my Math teacher acted really excited, and, like, we played some Math games, and then ate pie. In class! I got chocolate. It was pretty cool. So, I guess since March is the 3rd month . . .well, I guess, like, Pi must equal 3-point-something, because . . .well, she said that the party day was the Pi number and . . . like I don’t remember the date, ya know? So I don’t remember the decimal or anything but I guess 3-point-something must be what Pi is.”
If our teenaged students could say “Math class was fun today” AND get locked into their brain that “Pi is about 3”—we called that a success!
Here in Bristol, our Pi Day Party for home-educated students has been growing in size over the past 7 years.
Who are the teachers for this event?
Alison Meredith
Alison Meredith earned her BS in Mathematics from Virginia Tech. She taught professionally at an inner-city Science & Technology magnet school in North Carolina, at Dobyns-Bennett, and in Massachusetts. In 1997 she was one of ten teachers nationwide to receive the Future Leaders award from NCTM. She has been a home-educating mom “since the beginning.” Her seven children are now ages 12-24. She has created a plethora of resources to equip parents and protect kids online. She and her husband Tim founded Tech Eagles over 13 years ago to provide cybersecurity to local businesses.
Eric Crouch
Eric Crouch earned his BS in Electronic Engineering Technology from ETSU. He worked in the cell phone industry for 10 years before deciding to become a home educator. Eric and his wife, Beth, have been home-educating for over 15 years. He believes that curious kids teach themselves, so he strives to cultivate that natural wonder. Eric’s wife Beth is a nursing professor at Milligan; they are actively involved in their church and have lived in Bristol for years.
Rob Rutherford
Rob Rutherford graduated from King University and earned his master’s degree from ETSU. For over 15 years, he’s been caring for all ages as an EMT nurse and a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. He’s been teaching for years and delights to help kids and teenagers learn more about the beautiful world God created.
Ruth Grunstra
Ruth Grunstra home-educated all 8 of her kids; her youngest is now 20. Her husband, Bernie, is a pediatrician at Internal Medicine Pediatric Associates. She directs Bristol Parenting, where she delights to help parents truly enjoy their children, especially if they’re busy, stressed, or weary. For this event, she’ll be spending time with parents in the “Parent Hang Out Room.”
Jeremy Stout
Jeremy Stout is an amazing science educator who has managed the Nature Center at Steele Creek Park for years. Jeremy holds a BS in biology and geology, and a MSA in biology with a concentration in vertebrate paleontology. He takes great delight in helping kids understand science, and is happy to be back teaching our kids
Brad Baker
Brad Baker owns Baker Wealth Strategies. He graduated from Appalachian State University and earned his MBA from ETSU. After working in the financial planning industry for over 25 years, he began a life-long dream of becoming a writer. His first book, about MATH, is now available!
Sylvia Meredith
Sylvia Meredith earned her BS in Chemistry from ETSU. She works in Research and Development for Eastman. She is excited to help our students better understand chemistry and how it relates to Math.
Dr. Fred Harkleroad
Dr. Fred Harkleroad holds 10 years of collegiate education from King College, ETSU, and UT Memphis School of Medicine. He then served in the US Navy for five years after his internship and residency. Dr. Harkleroad returned to practice medicine in the Bristol area for 30 years caring for patients of all ages. As an ordained deacon and elder, he currently serves on the Session (his church’s leadership team). Dr. Harkleroad and his wife Heidi have been married for 43 years and are blessed with two children and three grandchildren.
More amazing teachers will be joining our team!
This is not yet a comprehensive list of the wonderful people who have volunteered their time to help your kids of all ages have an amazingly fun Pi Day Party.
Where is this event?
First Presbyterian Church of Bristol, next to King University, is graciously hosting this event.
Put into your GPS 809 Spruce Street—and pull into the parking lot directly across from that home. Do NOT park in the church’s main, bigger parking lot.
When you arrive, someone will be waving and directing you to the side entrance where the fun of our day begins!
What do we need to bring?
- A great attitude.
- A lunch bag for each person in your family; individually packaged except for your mommy-and-me aged kid.
- A water bottle for each student.
- PIE! Please bake or buy a pie to share and bring it with you.
- That’s it! We’ll provide pencils, paper, and all other needed supplies.
*We WILL have fridge space to keep your pie cold during the event, but we will NOT have fridge space to keep everyone’s lunches cold during the event.
