The Okaloosa County School District has launched its Career and Technical Education Building Math Program at Elliott Point Elementary, Wright Elementary and Longwood Elementary schools, putting rulers, tape measures and building materials into the hands of fifth graders as a way to teach core math concepts.
- The program integrates building trades into math instruction, with students constructing projects like toolboxes and simple structures while applying skills in measurement, fractions and geometry.
Rather than working exclusively from textbooks, students calculate fractions while cutting materials, explore angles and shapes through construction, and determine material quantities to ensure precise fits.
Greg Rynearson, the district’s teacher on special assignment for CTE, leads the initiative. Rynearson has extensive experience in the construction industry and previously taught building trades at Pryor Middle School.
“Programs like Building Math exemplify our commitment to providing innovative, hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for success beyond the classroom,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “By connecting math to real-world applications, we are not only strengthening academic skills but also inspiring our students to explore future careers in high-demand fields.”
The district said the program is designed to strengthen math proficiency while boosting student engagement, confidence and enthusiasm for learning by connecting classroom instruction to careers in construction and STEM-related fields.
Students at the three participating schools are already taking on projects and building skills through the program, and the district said it plans to expand the initiative.
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