Mr. John DeCaro
Math Faculty & Department Chair

I would be lying if I said that math test day does not have somewhat of a reputation on Prep’s campus. Come and visit the second floor of Haas the afternoon before math test day, and you will find scores of students flooding the math office and classrooms to review for their math test, along with a dozen or so math teachers eagerly answering questions and conducting review sessions. Sure, math is a challenging subject, and math at Prep is known to be particularly tough. After all, how many high schools design their geometry course directly from Euclid’s Elements? While Prep’s math curriculum is admittedly rigorous, there is something else that makes the math department at Prep stand out, and that is the level of support and commitment our math teachers give to the students every single day.

The math department takes a great deal of pride in what we do. Each department member embodies a deep love for math, along with a passion to teach and share our knowledge of math with our students and with each other. We collaborate extensively, and we constantly support each other. Math at Georgetown Prep is about working together to learn and grow, to overcome obstacles, and to help the students become the best mathematicians they can be. As teachers we accomplish this through challenging and helping the students day in and day out. Our students have become U.S. Mathematical Olympiads, attended countless reputable universities, and had successful careers in math and science focused industries. I like to think that Prep’s math program helps shape our students’ paths in some way.

The math office is a special place on Prep’s campus. On the door to the office is a quote in Greek by Plato that reads ΑΓΕΩΜΕΤΡΗΤΟΣ ΜΗΔΕΙΣ ΕΙΣΙΤΩ, meaning “Let no one ignorant of geometry enter.” To me this phrase is symbolic of the good work that takes place in the math office and surrounding classrooms as we strive to bring out the best in our students and help them to become competent math students. Every student knows where the math office is and that they can visit the math office to ask for help from any teacher at any time. For me, the math office is my sanctuary. I love spending time at my desk each day thinking and talking about math problems with students and colleagues, as I am reminded on a daily basis that I have found my calling in being a math teacher. 

The importance of learning mathematics goes far beyond the desire to be a math teacher or an engineer. To quote Einstein, "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think". The study of math could not be more appropriate, as math teaches us how to think critically and creatively. I tell my students that many of them will work for big companies and firms, and the skills they learn in their math classes will be valuable in their future careers. A few years ago, a former student of mine sent me an email I will never forget that reminded me of why I do what I do: 

“It’s been over a decade since I walked the halls of Prep, and as the years go by I realize what a special place it truly was. As you may probably remember mathematics was not my forte; I enjoyed the humanities much more and they came much easier to me. I was perusing the school website and saw that you have set into place an after-school program to help guys like me who are struggling with math to get a chance to better their situation overall in the class. What an excellent example of Ignatian service and to give and not count the cost!”

Not only is math practical, but it is ubiquitous and full of wonder. If you ever visit St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, look closely at the surrounding pillars. There are 284 columns arranged radially in four colonnades on either side of the square in the shape of a perfect ellipse. Within the square are two marble discs embedded into the ground, representing the two foci of the ellipse. If you stand on either disc and look at the columns, you will see a single row of columns, as the back three rows hide perfectly behind the first. It is a truly stunning architectural display, through which we get a glimpse of the beauty, precision and elegance that can be found in mathematics.