Dr. Loretta Westry is the owner and executive director of Mathnasium, a math learning center for students in kindergarten to 12th grade right off U.S. 280 in Mountain Brook. Through her diverse teaching experiences and robust set of degrees, Dr. Westry blazes the trail as a woman in business in the world of tutoring and educational development.
This specific location of Mathnasium opened in September 2018 and Westry took ownership of the business in May 2022. Dr. Westry handles scheduling of employees, payroll, managerial matters, staff meetings and professional development training.
Before Dr. Westry stepped into the role of executive director of Mathnasium, she considered being the dean of the college she was teaching at then. However, she began the process of pursuing ownership of her own business.
“One of our biggest issues nationwide is a lack of math skills and understanding and the ability to critically think through problems,” Westry said. “I had a desire to help, so I chose this career path.”
Westry received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics at University of Montevallo, a Master of Arts degree in Mathematics and Mathematics Education at Auburn University at Montgomery and a PhD in Mathematics Education, Leadership and Curriculum at Walden University. Westry is currently an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Miles College and the Actuarial Science Program Director in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Being a teacher for 23 years — 10 years in public school, two years in a community college and 13 years at a postsecondary school — planted the desire in her to help students succeed in all of their endeavors, not only in the subject of math.
Math is not just about computation — it’s about the ability to logically deduce what’s necessary.
“We must continue this process with all age groups before they get to college,” Westry said. “That way, we don’t lose students before they arrive to this milestone.”
She explained that it’s paramount for students to understand math concepts to get in advantageous and lucrative job positions.
“Math is necessary for everything one does,” Westry said. “The level varies based on your profession, but the ability to think logically inside and outside of problems is vital for every person.”
Mathnasium’s formula for teaching kids math using a way that makes sense to them is known as the Mathnasium Method. This method has transformed the ways children and teens learn mathematical concepts for over three decades across more than 1,000 centers in the United States, Canada and worldwide. Mathnasium’s expert math instructors teach children in 4:1 ratios on understanding math using an individualized approach. They strive to catch them up, keep them on track and move them forward.
Westry leads her team with a well-versed, tried-and-true customer service philosophy.
“Understanding exactly what parents are looking for when they first come in, and what is needed to accomplish their goals, is essential to fulfill their needs,” Westry said.
Everyone’s reasoning is different for coming to Mathnasium depending on the goal and desired outcome. The Mathnasium team collaborates to identify that need and continuously communicates with the parents throughout the the child’s learning journey. When parents come in to pick up their child, the Mathnasium team provides them with an overview of what they discussed and completed during that hour.
Mathnasium’s Center Director Crystal Waldo said transparency is key when communicating to parents about their child’s progress. At the end of each session, they talk with the parent about the child’s learning plan — where they are and where they still need to be.
Mathnasium offers group and one-on-one tutoring as well as learning plans tailored to each child’s academic needs. Instructors use their one-of-a-kind assessment process to determine each child’s level of knowledge and learning gaps. An individualized learning plan is then designed for teaching concepts the student needs to master. Mathnasium’s dedicated instructors monitor the progress of students throughout the learning plan to ensure they are sufficient in comprehension and application of concepts they’ve been taught.
Mathnasium’s process is transformative for students. They experience tangible differences in confidence, attitude and academic progress. The caring instructors foster an encouraging environment that help students thrive and learn. Mathmasium’s mission is to help as many students as possible achieve goals they set for themselves and break down any barriers that may prevent them from success.
Lauren McDonald, the assistant center director, said Mathnasium is different from other centers because the team talks one-on-one with students and engages with them.
“We implement interaction-based learning and make sure that the students are receiving the step-by-step interaction that they deserve,” McDonald said.
Westry said the most rewarding part for her is recognizing when a student finally understands a concept and joy is apparent all over their face. They will often rush into Mathnasium full of excitement about their achievements to let the team know they passed their test at school.
Westry said her benchmark for success is a continual process and evolves every day. She stays cognizant to the needs of the center and of the students coming in and out. Her job is to adapt to each day’s tasks and equip her team to do the same. Business success to Westry translates to eradicating barriers that may stand in the way of a student’s successful comprehension and application of math in school andday-to-day life.
