JUMP GREW OUT OF MY EXPERIENCE TEACHING IN A VOLUNTEER program founded by Ken and Inez Johnson. Ken is a school teacher, and Inez, a principal. Inez Johnson and Silvana Carletti were the first principals to invite JUMP into their schools as an after-school program.
Kathy Love, a special-education teacher, has devoted countless hours to organizing and overseeing the program at her school. She and David Fontaine, a teacher, first suggested we try JUMP in the classroom. Jean Kosloff taught with me during the test of the in-class program described in Chapter 4. Theresa Koch, a teacher, was also a major advocate for the program in its early years.
In the third year of JUMP, Maggie Licata, an engineer, donated four months of full-time work in order to establish JUMP as an organization. She became the first executive director of JUMP.
Inez Johnson, Silvana Carletti, Leslie Moody, and Patsy Cook were the first principals to invite JUMP to try an in-class pilot program in their schools.
Katie Baldwin, Paul Green, and Natalie Krnic started the first JUMP program in a correctional facility.
The JUMP board of directors have guided JUMP’s growth over the past three years. They are: Pia Marquard (chair), Mark Damelin (treasurer), Julie Dzerowicz (sectretary), Daniel Brooks, Su Hutchinson, Susan Morais, and Arlett Tygesen.
The following individuals have done a great deal of volunteer administrative and fundraising work for JUMP: David Coutanche, Leesa Blake, David Baille, Richard Michael, Martha Wilder, Fanny Lo, Ravi Negi, Joe Sinyor, Donata Frank, John Coates, Richard Wiltshire, Eric Scott, Dave Walders, the rest of the University of Toronto JUMP Chapter, Joy Abramson, Lisa Diniz, Claire Chow, Brian Marler, Nicole Brebner, Andrew Clapperton, Andy Douglas, David Young, and Jonathan Kassian. Deth (Thanou) Thirakul and Richard Michael set up the JUMP website, and Yen Chu donated her design for the JUMP logo and letterhead. Pamela Sinha helped coin the name JUMP.
The following individuals made large donations in the early years of JUMP: Janice Stein, Leslie Jones, Alan Taylor, John Coates, Bill Cain, Valerie McDonald, and Bruce Stratton.
Bradd Hart, deputy director of the Fields Institute for Research in the Mathematical Sciences, arranged for the Fields to donate office space and technical support to JUMP. All of our tutors are trained at the Fields.
The JUMP staff have done a superb job running the program and managing its growth. Full-time employees are: Lynne Patterson (executive director), Katie Baldwin (program and special projects coordinator), and Laura Miggiani (volunteer coordinator). As well, the JUMP program depends on a team of part-time, in-class trainers: Jessica Dreisziger, Jennifer Pierce, Judith De Boer, Tara Vanderwel, and Kerri MacIntosh.
Kevin Connolly and Don Bastian (both excellent editors) made many stylistic improvements to the text. Sherrie Johnson, my agent, made sure the original vision for the book was realized (even offering to publish the book herself when we couldn’t find a publisher). Michael Ondaatje took the book to House of Anansi, where it was finally accepted for publication.
My daughter, Chloe Mighton, has tested most of the JUMP units and suggested improvements. She has been an inspiration for all of my work with children. Raegan Mighton encouraged me to start volunteer tutoring in the first place.
Finally, this book is dedicated to the hundreds of volunteers and students of JUMP: all of JUMP’s successes are founded on your work.
Children are selected for JUMP (based on financial and academic need) by teachers and principals in the schools where the program operates. We regret that we do not have the resources to provide tutors or give advice on finding tutors for children outside these schools.
With very little effort, a group of motivated volunteers and teachers can transform a school or neighbourhood. If you would like to start a tutoring program modelled on JUMP, please see our website, www.jumpmath.org.
JUMP is an extremely small charity. Our staff barely have time to meet the many commitments we have already made. We ask, therefore, that you contact JUMP directly only to volunteer or make a donation. If you plan to start your own tutoring program, please consult our website before contacting us. We are a registered charity and will issue tax receipts for donations over $10 in Canada. Donations may be made online at our website or can be sent to JUMP at 349 — 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 3A8.