Mrs. Biwer (3rd Grade) - All About 3rd Grade

banner reading all about 3rd grade with Mrs. Beaver and Mr. Paukert

Platooning

Many students who have attended KMES previously will be familiar with platooning from 2nd grade or from older siblings. Your child will be splitting their school day between two 3rd grade teachers, one of which will be their homeroom teacher. My platooning partner is Mr. Paukert. He will be teaching your child math each day, and I will be teaching your child reading, writing, and social studies. Your child's homeroom teacher will be your main source of contact unless you have a content specific question (math directed to d.paukert@komets.k12.mn.us and reading directed to m.biwer@komets.k12.mn.us).

Communication & Newsletters

Communication will most often come via email from both Mr. Paukert and I. We also will send home a weekly newsletter by email each Friday (or the last day of the week) that will include important upcoming dates, special announcements, and updates on what students are currently learning in reading and math. If your student is in my homeroom, I am trying something new this year and will be using the Remind app to send urgent or important reminders.

Homework & Support at Home

Your child's homework will include weekly math homework and reading daily at home. Mr. Paukert will communicate his expectations for math homework and will send home a printed copy, as well as a digital copy, in our weekly newsletter. For reading, my expectation is that students read daily for at least 20 minutes. This could include independent reading or reading to someone, and students are not limited to books. They can read from Scholastic News articles that are sent home, magazines, comics, recipes while helping someone cook, manuals while building something - be creative, just get them reading! They will also be allowed to check out and bring home books from the school library. It is encouraged that students read many different genres to expand their knowledge and hopefully develop new interests and passions. We also highly encourage students and families to spend time outside of school being active, spending time together, and for students to find enjoyment in different hobbies.

To best support your child at home, please provide them a comfortable place to complete their homework. It is expected that students turn in their math homework on time and that they complete their daily reading. Please support and assist them with any skills they are unsure of, but do not do the work for them. If you feel your child is struggling a lot at home, please reach out to Mr. Paukert or I so that we can provide them additional support at school. We want to work as a team with you to help your child reach their full potential and be successful.

Daily Schedule

While the specifics of each day may change based on what students are currently learning, these are the core times that remain the same each day (unless it is a late start or an early release).

8:10 School Starts

8:30-9:20 Specials (following the KOMET schedule)

11:20-11:50 Recess

12:00-12:30 Lunch

3:15 School Ends

Mrs. Biwer's 2024-2025 KOMET Schedule

K: PLTW

O: Music & PE

M: Coding & Media

E: Music & PE

T: Art

Snacks, Water, & Birthday Treats

Students in third grade will eat lunch at 12:00 each day and will be allowed to eat a snack in the morning to keep them focused and energized. Your child can pack a healthy snack and put it in their locker until snack time. It is highly recommended that students bring snacks like fruits, vegetables, crackers, pretzels, cheese, etc. Please do not send your child with candy for their snack. New in 2024, the school will not be providing a snack cart this year, so snacks must be brought from home. I will keep emergency snacks on hand if students occasionally forget, but please do not rely on your homeroom teacher or the school to provide your child a snack. Please also make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast each morning to help them stay focused and have enough energy to get them through to lunch.

Students may bring a water bottle to school with them as long as it does not affect their learning. These will be kept in their lockers and students may get a drink as needed. It is school policy that students may only have water at school, please do not send them with juice, Gatorade, milk, or anything other than water.

If your child's birthday happens during the school year, they may bring in treats that day. If it falls on a weekend or a day we do not have school, you can choose the closest day to bring treats in. If your child has a summer birthday, they can bring treats in on their half birthday or during the last month of school. It is school policy that treats must be store bought. You may not bring in homemade treats for any occasion. It is greatly appreciated when treats are packaged or pre-cut for ease of handing out to students. It is completely optional to bring treats in for birthdays. If you choose to send birthday treats, please contact me to let me know when you plan to bring them, and please bring enough for all students in the class.

Classroom & School Expectations

At KMES, students learn and are expected to follow KoMet Pride behaviors in the classroom and in the school. Teachers are looking to catch students showing KoMet PRIDE to recognize those who are going above and beyond. Students may be recognized by earning a KoMet Pride slip from school staff. Each time a student earns a KoMet Pride slip, they will get a prize related to the character trait of the month. We spend time teaching, practicing, and reviewing KoMet Pride behaviors on a weekly basis. Thank you for encouraging your child to be a positive role model at school.

KoMet PRIDE Stands For:

P: Practice Respect and Responsibility

R: Remain Safe

I: Include Others

D: Display a Positive Attitude

E: Engage in Learning

Donations

Parents in the past have asked about what they can donate to help in the classroom. Mr. Paukert and I will make special notes in our newsletter if any specific needs arise, however, there are a few things we can always use in the classroom:

Books (new or gently used, age appropriate)
Gift cards for Target, Walmart, or Amazon (used to buy classroom supplies to enhance the learning experiences for the students)