For years, Mathnasium has been on the ground to assist San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley families tackle one of the most common and stressful academic challenges: math. Now, the local learning center is taking a new step to meet students and families where they are, bringing after-school math instruction directly onto elementary school campuses.
Beginning this winter, Mathnasium will offer on-site enrichment programs at Vine Hill Elementary and Brook Knoll Elementary, marking the first time the organization has partnered directly with schools in the Scotts Valley Unified School District.
“This is the first-ever partnership like this for us in the Scotts Valley-Santa Cruz area,” said Colby Miller, the local Mathnasium owner who took over the business in March after the previous owner retired. “We’ve had a learning center here for years, but going on campus felt like a natural next step.”
Mathnasium has been part of the community for about seven years, but the idea to move instruction onto school campuses came with Miller’s arrival and a fresh set of eyes. After spending years in the corporate world, earning degrees in accounting, business administration and most recently an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania, Miller decided to pursue work that felt more personally meaningful.
“I knew if I was going to run a business, it had to be something I truly believed in,” he said. “Math is foundational. It affects confidence, academic success, and even how kids see themselves.”
Looking at what other Mathnasium locations across the country were doing, Miller noticed a growing trend: partnering directly with schools to offer on-site instruction. He and his team began reaching out to local schools, and Vine Hill and Brook Knoll quickly emerged as enthusiastic partners.
“We are excited to offer Mathnasium as part of our after-school enrichment program,” said Tracey Neilsen, principal of Vine Hill Elementary. “This tutoring opportunity provides students with personalized support to strengthen their math skills, build confidence and develop a positive attitude toward learning.”
Josh Wahl, principal at Brook Knoll Elementary, said his school is “thrilled” to partner with Mathnasium to provide a high-quality math enrichment program for students.
“The Mathnasium team brings energy, expertise and a genuine passion for helping students build confidence and deepen their understanding of math,” Wahl said. “Their engaging approach supports learners at all levels and complements our curriculum beautifully. We are excited to see our students grow academically and develop a more positive attitude toward math through this partnership.”
“Once we connected, it moved from interest to action pretty quickly,” he added.
Both programs operate as part of each school’s existing after-school enrichment offerings and are paid for by parents, not the district. Mathnasium provides trained instructors (the same educators who work at its learning center) who rotate between the two schools.
At Vine Hill, sessions run Thursdays from 1-2pm, taking advantage of the school’s early-release schedule. At Brook Knoll, instruction takes place Tuesdays from 2:45-3:50pm. Each program is offered in short terms of just a few months rather than running the entire school year.
“That was intentional,” Miller explained. “We wanted to make sure families didn’t feel overcommitted, especially since this is new for some of them. It’s enough time to make a real impact without being overwhelming.”
Mathnasium also offers scholarships to help ensure the program is accessible to lower-income families—an extension of a philosophy the organization already practices at its learning center.
While improved math skills are the obvious goal, Miller noted that Mathnasium’s approach goes well beyond worksheets and grades.
“Math anxiety is real, especially after the pandemic,” he said. “Lack of confidence in math can bleed into other parts of a child’s life: school, self-esteem, even future career paths.”
Rather than focusing solely on homework or test prep, Mathnasium uses a diagnostic assessment to identify gaps that may date back several years. From there, instructors build a customized learning plan for each student, helping them master missed concepts before moving forward.
“We’re not just tutoring,” Miller said. “We have a proven method for identifying weaknesses and addressing them in a structured, positive way.”
The program also emphasizes motivation and enjoyment. Lessons are gamified, with students earning rewards as they demonstrate mastery—a small but meaningful shift that helps transform math from a source of stress into something more approachable.
One of the most immediate benefits, Miller said, has been for families themselves.
“Working parents are busy. Getting a child to a learning center once or twice a week can be a logistical challenge,” he said. “By bringing Mathnasium onto campus, we’re removing a huge barrier.”
The impact extends into the home as well. By supporting students during the school day or right after it, parents often find themselves less involved in nightly math battles.
“It really can improve parent-child relationships. We help with homework during sessions, so parents aren’t stuck trying to teach fifth-grade math after a long day. That tension just melts away,” Miller said, a refrain that will delight most families with a math-reticent student.
Mathnasium plans to closely track enrollment, retention and academic progress, using pre- and post-assessments to measure student growth. Miller also hopes to develop a formal case study to demonstrate the program’s impact for future school partnerships.
“Our goal is for this to become an institution within local schools,” he said. “If we do this well, we’d love to expand to other elementary schools and eventually middle schools. We’d also like to expand our reach into other local districts.”
For now, the focus remains on getting it right at Vine Hill and Brook Knoll.
“We want to walk before we run,” Miller said. “But we’re excited. This feels like something that truly supports students, families and schools in a meaningful way.”
For parents interested in learning more or enrolling their child, additional information and enrollment forms are available through Mathnasium’s website mathnasium.com/math-centers/scottsvalley.
