When two math teachers see an Upper School Math Club thriving and a need in the Middle School for something similar, they simply square the original. And when both teachers have last names starting with the letter K, they naturally name the club “K Squared.”

This is just how it happened when the Chair of the Mathematics Department, Dr. Victoria Khiznichenko, and math teacher Stacey Karipides sought to grow the extracurricular math options offered at King School. The new club, which has been a couple of years in the making, also includes Project Music students. Project Music, a King School community partner, is a Stamford-based initiative that helps the city’s youth gain essential life skill through an afterschool music program. 

“We were working with the Project Music kids, who love math,” said Khiznichenko, “and we thought, ‘why don't we create the club for both King middle school students and Project Music students?’”

The club meets after school on Tuesdays in the Upper School’s Academic Center and is open to all students interested in immersing themselves in math through games and fun challenges. Each meeting features a warm-up problem, which occurs as everyone arrives and gets settled, a lesson and discussion about a new math problem, and measurements and assessments that will drive the next session.

“Our goal is for the students to see a different face of mathematics,” said Khiznichenko. “To see math as interesting, beautiful, and connected to science and measurements.”

The students have been having a ball, according to Khiznichenko, an affirmation that the club is meeting student demand. She is thrilled at the possibilities these students will bring to the Upper School.

“These students are our potential Math Team members,” she said, adding that including the Project Music students in the club is also thrilling.