John and Catherine Labuda have opened four Mathnasium locations in Cy-Fair in 5 years.[/caption]John and Catherine Labuda have helped thousands of Cy-Fair students improve their math skills since opening their first Mathnasium location in 2010. The couple has since opened three additional locations; the most recent center opened June 9 in Jersey Village.
Students work in small groups for lessons at each Mathnasium location in Cy-Fair.[/caption]“The curriculum these days is so packed, it causes students to go through a lot of material very quickly so they need extra practice,” Catherine said. “With parents being busy it’s hard to supervise homework and get what [the students] need, so they turn to us.”
The Labudas discovered the Mathnasium franchise about five years ago when they met several of the co-founders and learned about the process used to teach students math.
Mathnasium is open to students from second grade through those students enrolled in precalculus and college algebra. When a new student comes in for the first time, he or she is required to take an assessment to determine the curriculum to focus on during future sessions. Parents can then purchase a monthly membership with up to 12 one-hour visits.
“Mathnasium is like a gymnasium, except you exercise your brain instead of your muscles,” Catherine said.
The Labudas also stay busy by taking part in various organizations and activities in Cy-Fair. The couple joined the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce in 2010, where John serves as chairman of the Education Workforce Development Committee. The Labudas have also donated to schools and churches and gave a $5,000 donation to the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation.
One of the best parts of the job for the Labudas is teaching and working with the students, Catherine said.
“There are so many applications that require specific math skills, and then there’s just general math literacy to be a functional person,” Catherine said. “Even if you’re a lawyer you need some logic to perform well at your job.”
Summer program
Mathnasium is open five days a week during the summer for students who want to get a head start on the curriculum for the next school year. Students who want to enroll must first take an assessment but can start classes during a follow-up appointment.
Parents can purchase 18, 24 or an unlimited set of classes for the remainder of summer break, and students can drop by for one-hour sessions on an as-needed basis.
“If students are also going to summer camp or on vacation, since it is an individualized program, it allows for flexibility,” franchise co-owner John Labuda said.
