Welcome to “Fourth Grade Fun.” This website is for the fourth graders at Laurel Magnet School of the Arts in Laurel, MS. We use this site for all kinds of fun in the classroom as well as a place for parents to see what we’ve been up to lately. LMSA is a part of the Whole Schools Initiative which is a program that facilitates schools that focus on teaching through the arts. We integrate the arts curriculum from dance, theater, music, visual arts, and media arts into our regular academic curriculum to create learning that is enriching, challenging, and, of course, really fun too! LMSA has been a model school for the initiative for over 20 years and is the only Exemplar Model School for the Whole Schools Initiative in Mississippi.

Our fourth grade team is comprised of Andrea Schipke and Casey Watts. Mrs. Schipke will be teaching Math and Science, and Mrs. Watts will be teaching ELA: Reading, Language, Writing, with Social Studies integration for all fourth grade. Read below to find out a little more about Mrs. Schipke and Mrs. Watts.

Mrs. Schipke:  Elementary and middle school was always a struggle for me. I felt confused, bored, and lost. Every year seemed to be more difficult than the last. I realized that learning did not have to be this way so I decided to become a teacher! I graduated from Tupelo High School in 2000. I received an Associates degree from Itawamba Community College (2002), a Bachelors degree from Mississippi State University (2005), and a Masters degree from William Carey University (2009). My first teaching job was at Plantersville Middle School where I taught 5th grade. After getting married, I moved from Tupelo to Bay Springs and began teaching at Nora Davis. I taught 3rd grade for five years before moving to 4th grade where I have now taught for a total of 17 years.

Mrs. Watts: I knew I wanted to become a teacher when I was in 3rd grade. That was the year that chalkboards were replaced with white boards. I wanted to be able to write with those fancy new markers! LOL! I also had some really amazing teachers that taught me about life as well as academics. As I grew older that urge to be a teacher only became stronger, and I firmly believe I’m exactly where God wants me to be. I graduated high school from West Jones High School in 2001. I received an Associates degree from Jones County Junior College (2002), a Bachelors degree from the University of Southern Mississippi (2005), and a Masters degree from William Carey University (2009).  I began teaching in August 2005 at Nora Davis Magnet School. I taught 3rd grade for six years before moving to 4th grade where I have now taught for a total of 17 years.