August | 2019 | Mrs. Warneck's Third Grade Class

Welcome to Third Grade!

Hello and Welcome to Third Grade! My name is Mrs. Warneck and I am absolutely thrilled to be your child’s teacher. Your child’s education is a partnership between home and school and I look forward to working with you. If you ever have a question or a comment for me, please send me an email, write me a note, talk with me at dismissal, or call the school. The best way to get ahold of me is by email. My email address is warneck@appublicschools.com and the school’s phone number is 313-827 -1050. I look forward to meeting each parent and getting to know every child! We are going to have a wonderful year together!

Meet the Teacher

As mentioned above, my name is Mrs. Warneck. This will be my 12th year teaching at Arno Elementary. My teaching certifications include a Bachelor in Education with endorsements in Language Arts, Science, and Early Childhood Education. Also, I hold a Masters Degree in Educational Technology. Since I love to learn (and teach), I am currently working on a Social Studies teaching endorsement. When I am not in school, I spend my time with my family: my husband, son, two daughters, and our dog.

First Day of School

School starts on Tuesday, September 3rd, at 8:30am. On the first day of school, our class will line up, outside, by Door Number 8 on Markese Street. Please drop your child off at door number 8 between 8:20 and 8:30am. Please do not drop your child off unattended before this time for safety reasons. The first day of school is a half day and dismissal is at 11:30am. Students will exit the same door, door number 8, at 11:30am. Please email me how (car, bus, walk) and who will be picking up your child on the first day of school.

In third grade, many parents stay outside and give their good bye hugs and kisses before their child enters the school. If you do choose to walk with your child into the school, please allow your child to walk into the classroom independently. When your child walks into the room, they will be instructed to put their backpack on any table top and sit at the carpet. We will go through our backpacks and learn our cubby numbers, but not right away. Please feel free to share this information with your child.

We will also have snack time in the morning. Please send in an easy to eat snack with your child. Also, please have your child bring in a water bottle labeled with your child’s name. We do have a water fountain in our classroom but it is very convenient for the children if they have their own water bottle.

Suggested School Supplies for Mrs. Warneck’s Classroom

It is not mandatory to bring in school supplies, however, many families enjoy participating in this annual ritual.

Student Supplies (please label with child’s name):

Backpack (No wheels, we do not have enough space in our cubbies.)
Eraser
Scissors
Crayons
Small Pencil Case
Spiral Notebook
Colored Pencils
Black Sharpie
Headphones/Earbuds
Small Manual Pencil Sharpener
Glue Stick
Red Pens
Dry Erase Markers

Classroom Supplies (no need to label):

Disinfecting Wipes (Clorox, Lysol, etc)
Kleenex
Pencils
Girls-1 Box of Ziploc Sandwich Bags
Boys-1 Box of Ziploc Gallon Bags

Classroom Wishlist (no need to label):

Band aids
Hand sanitizer
Large Box of Individually Packaged Dry Snacks (in case a child forget’s his/her snack)
- examples: cheez its, goldfish, pretzels, cereal, graham crackers, etc

Due to limited space in the classroom, please do not have your child bring in “knick-knacks” or unnecessary items to school. Your help with this is greatly appreciated!

Alternative Seating

When you walk into my classroom this year, you are going to notice that my classroom is unlike many other classrooms you’ve seen before. Yes, it has student work spaces, whiteboard, student computers, etc . But you’ll notice that something is missing. The missing piece is your child’s desk.

I have been learning about motivating students and classroom environments. This interests me because I am passionate about classroom design and its affect on learning. I want my classroom to be motivating, fun, and able to accommodate the needs of all my students. I came across an article and pictures about something called “alternative seating”. This throws the idea of a traditional classroom out the window. Instead of desks and chairs, there are soft chairs, stability balls, stools, ottomans, low tables, rugs, etc. I was intrigued and decided to research it further. I found out some very interesting things about alternative seating. According to the research I found, alternative seating:

helps students attention spans which results in higher achievement
makes students more actively engaged in the classroom
gives them an active outlet without disrupting their learning
makes them more physically fit
motivates students to want to come to school
helps those with ADHD and Autism, along with other special needs
helps develop a sense of community among the students which improves their social skills
helps them to become independent learners
is LOVED by the students and teacher

Your child’s classroom will be an alternative seating classroom. I understand that some kids would prefer a regular table and chair. I will have a table with chairs set up for those learners. Those who prefer an “alternative” seat can choose from: wobble cushions, ottomans, wobble chairs, carpet squares, yoga balls, stools, and a rug. If they prefer standing, I have three standing desks for those learners. Students can choose to write on a hard surface (such as a low table) or use clipboards, or even the floor. The students’ supplies will be placed in containers in their cubbies for easy access. They can grab their stuff and go to a spot that suits them.

This method will allow your child to do their BEST learning. For example, I do my best work sitting in a soft chair at a desk. My husband works best sitting on the couch with a laptop. Children are no different. Just like children have different learning styles, they have different physical needs when it comes to learning. “When the body is active, the brain is active”. I will be teaching the students how to choose a spot that is the most conducive to their learning style.

I am very excited to do this in my classroom and I hope you are too. This will be the fourth year that I have implemented alternative seating. I understand it might be a little strange and not at all what you’re used to but I truly believe this will help your child be the best learner they can be. I am looking forward to a great year.

Here are a few pictures of our classroom: