FVCC math instructor receives leadership award

Flathead Valley Community College instructor Fred Longhart recently was honored by the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics for his significant contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics in the state of Montana.

Longhart received the 2019 Dean Preble Memorial Award on Oct. 18 at the Council’s annual meeting in Belgrade.

The Dean Preble Memorial is the council’s most prestigious recognition and is awarded annually to a Montana educator who has consistently assumed a leadership role in the discipline. Teachers at all grade levels, kindergarten through university, are eligible for the award.

Preble, who passed away in 1998, was a longtime Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematic member and a passionate advocate for excellence in mathematics education.

Prior to becoming an adjunct professor at FVCC, Longhart taught math at Flathead High School for many years, where he was known for his commitment to incorporating technology into math curriculum. He was also a longtime instructor for Texas Instruments and traveled around the United States to present workshops on best practices in the teaching of mathematics and the use of technology.

In 1995, the White House awarded Longhart the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for K-12 math teachers.