SUCCESS TOOLKIT - SECTION 3

Brenda M. Diaz for Montgomery County Board of Education At-Large

SUCCESS TOOLKIT

Brenda M. Diaz for Montgomery County Board of Education At-Large

June 23, 2026 Primary

 

A roadmap for parents, students, teachers, administrators, and school board members to elevate our standards and reclaim MCPS’s legacy of achievement. Evidence-based. Action-oriented. Built for our community.

 

 

CONTENTS

Section 1: For Teachers

Section 2: For Students

Section 3: For Parents

Section 4: For Administrators

Section 5: For School Board Members & Candidates

SECTION 3: FOR PARENTS

Resources to support learning at home, advocate for your rights, and engage meaningfully in your child’s education.

Read to Your Child Every Night

Nightly reading is the single most powerful thing you can do for your child’s literacy. For a curated book list, read A Library to Build Great Americans, Ages 3-99+ — books worth adding to your family library.

Teach Your Child to Read at Home

If your child is struggling to read, pick up Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Follow the scripted 20-minute daily sessions with phonics exercises to build reading proficiency in 100 days.

Boost Math at Home

Recommended home math curricula: Singapore Math. Review Freedom in Education’s Archimedes Math Standards for grade-by-grade benchmarks. For free, fun practice, Math Playground offers 300+ math games for grades K–6 — no sign-in, no cost, kid-safe, and built specifically for fluency.

Play Board Games That Build Math Fluency

Research shows that playing board games improves number recognition, counting, and basic operations in children as young as three. Great options by age:

Play Board Games That Build Phonics & Early Reading

Research and educators agree that phonics games provide repetition and instant feedback without feeling like schoolwork. Great options by age:

Play Board Games That Build Critical Thinking (Ages 8+)

Research shows these games teach kids to plan ahead, evaluate consequences, and solve problems — skills no app can replicate. Great options by age:

  • Ages 8–12: Clue (deductive reasoning), Mastermind (logic & code-breaking), Blokus (spatial strategy — Mensa winner), Pandemic (cooperative problem-solving), Chess (the gold standard of strategic thinking)
  • Ages 10–14: Settlers of Catan (resource management & negotiation), Ticket to Ride (route planning & probability), Codenames (vocabulary & team strategy)
  • Ages 12+: 7 Wonders (multi-variable decision making), Wingspan (strategic engine-building — also a science game!), Dominion (deck-building strategy & optimization)

Build Science Knowledge at Home

Free Websites:

Science Board Games:

Easy Reader Science Books for Elementary:

Limit Screen Time

Research shows excessive screen use leads to higher rates of obesity, sleep disorders, depression, and anxiety. Let your child be bored — boredom is where creativity grows. Try the 1000 Hours Outside challenge.

Advocate for Rights & Reform

Read The Opportunity Myth — discussed at a joint MCCPTA/MCPS meeting — to understand why grade-appropriate assignments and master teachers in every classroom are non-negotiable. Then get involved: attend Board meetings, join your local PTA, and vote on June 23, 2026.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 5 PILLARS OF SUCCEESS