Furniture Overhaul Turns Special Ed Science Classroom into ‘Science Oasis’

February 6, 2023

Being a force for change requires mighty determination. Teacher Katherine Winick’s abundance in that department – and her clear need for better student collaboration options, makerspace and classroom storage – helped her win the 2022 dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest.

Mrs. Winick’s grand prize was a wall-to-wall classroom furniture overhaul by contest co-sponsors dancker (interiors integrator) of New Jersey and Smith System (classroom furniture). The annual contest was open to K–12 schools in New Jersey with over 125 students. The goal, said Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker, is to create better learning experiences for deserving students and teachers.

“Returning to the post-Covid classroom is still hard for a lot of students and teachers,” she said. “We wanted to brighten Mrs. Winick’s challenging space with great classroom design and furniture. We’ve seen how that can improve student engagement and make teaching more enjoyable.”

New to this year’s contest was offering second- and third-place furniture prizes, too. Congratulations to second-place winner Kim Rosa-Benway, a Special Education teacher at Mount Vernon School in Newark, New Jersey, and third-place winner Jessica Bostwick, a general education teacher at Angelo L. Tomaso Elementary School in Warren, New Jersey

Special Ed Students Deserve Equal Footing

Educators applying to the contest had to complete two parts: 1) create a video showing and describing the challenges of their current classroom or learning space, and 2) describe their dream space and how it would improve teaching and learning.

There were many deserving entries. But Winick’s had a heartfelt component that particularly impressed contest judges, which included Bethanne Strippoli winner of the 2021 dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest.

For the past six years, Winick has been the Special Education Science teacher for grades 6–8 at Central Middle School (CMS) in Parsippany, New Jersey. She’s also a passionate advocate for her students.

“I want to give [them] the opportunity to learn in a room that doesn’t make them feel less than their peers. There is a lot of stigma associated with Special Education, especially at the middle school level when students are learning more about themselves and their disabilities,” Winick explained in her entry.

She acknowledged the unique behavioral needs of many of her students and the fact that special education staff frequently join the lesson to support kids. Many require one-on-one paraprofessional support in the classroom, too.

A Whole Lotta Heavy Metal

Looking back, Winick had faced many challenges in creating an ideal classroom for her students, who she has for three consecutive academic years. In her first year at CMS, her classroom was a mobile cart she pushed from room to room and floor to floor via the school’s elevator.

The following year, she inherited a former computer classroom in the basement. It came with nearly a dozen old-style metal filing cabinets, several computer desks and tables, and a behemoth teacher’s desk circa the late 1960s. The biggest problems were lack of storage and cumbersome collaboration. Nothing was mobile or light weight.

“We didn’t have enough storage for all of our amazing lab equipment, and we didn’t have lab tables. We had old computer tables that weren’t the most conducive to group work.” Also missing were flexible seating options. (Many of her students have ADHD and self-regulate with movement.)

Winick’s steely determination kicked into high gear.

“Our kids are absolutely wonderful. They deserve every opportunity, just like any other kid, and we have to get [new] furniture somehow,” she thought. She searched for programs and grants online and applied for the dancker ReImagine Your Classroom Contest in the spring of 2022. She’d been a finalist the previous year.

Second Time's a Charm

In late May, Winick learned she had won first place. She was thrilled. The classroom makeover would be a game-changer for her students – one of whom had shared that her birthday wish last year was for Winick’s entry to win.

There were many incredible entries, according to Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker. But Winick’s clearly conveyed an obvious need.

“The judges recognized that her current layout and furniture were very outdated and not supportive of a middle school classroom or Special Education students,” Kearns added.

Everything But the Fish Tank

In June, the dancker team toured Winick’s classroom, took photos (her space has a lot of oddly placed pipes and vents) and measurements. One thing was immediately clear. To maximize space and create the optimum learning environment, everything but the fish tank had to go. Thankfully, Winick had reviewed Smith System furniture ahead of developing her entry, so she knew the possibilities.

During collaborative design sessions with Winick, the team worked to achieve a new layout. By July, dancker was ready to host the final design session at its Experience Center in Somerville, NJ, for Winick and a few of her peers. Winick had the final say on all furniture and finish decisions; dancker placed the order with Smith System.

The "ReImagined" Furniture Arrives

The new Smith System furniture was installed in late October, just before parent-teacher conferences. There’s variety, but also a calming cohesiveness among seating and work surfaces, storage units, and a new, compact Motum™ Mobile Lectern for Winick. Casters are included throughout most of the lineup’s items in soothing gray, blue and green.

Here are some highlights:

Classroom Tables

There are three Planner® Studio Science Tables. One is a fixed height of 29 inches and two are café-style at 36 inches. All tables easily seat four and are on locking casters. The table’s ½-inch thick work surfaces are designed to meet the demands of science projects.
“Collaboration has been so much easier,” Winick said. “Everyone is set and ready in groups of four, and the students can move tables themselves to get closer to outlets.” She likes how the tables’ size helps prevent spills and better accommodates the paraprofessionals.
The room’s focal point is a mobile Cascade® Maker Table with versatile shelves and a hearty butcher block work surface. Previously, Winick would “take over” a student table to demonstrate a project.
“Now, I can meet with individual students at the Makerspace table. The supplies are there; there’s enough space to work. It’s become our engineering table,” she added. She’ll also sit at the Planner tables for small-group work.

Classroom Storage

In the past, the lack of convenient, multi-functional storage made lab work difficult and more time-consuming for Winick. Her prep time was spent setting up labs and then strategically tucking things away. Now, “Everything has a home.”
Her room includes a Cascade® Teacher Wardrobe Cabinet and four Cascade® Mega-Cabinets, two with shelves and one with portable totes. All include casters and versatile whiteboards – which her students love – are attached to the storage units.

Classroom Chairs and Stools

Special emphasis was put on providing more flexible seating options, both upholstered seating and non-upholstered seating, stationery and active (with movement): flexible Flavors® chairs and stools, Groove® Backless Stools, and stackable Oodle® stools. In the past, it was awkward and too obvious when a student would stand while learning. Now, students are empowered to select how and where they can learn best.

A Cool-Off Spot and Computer Corner

dancker created a cozy, lounge-like corner by combining pieces from Smith System's soft, upholstered Flowform® line, including a soft rocker, ottoman, and curved bean bench. The area is separated with a low Flowform® Curved Storage unit.

- “We have a lot of different behavior situations. Sometimes, kids need space to themselves. So they’ve been loving the cool-off spot. They can still pay attention and have a little more privacy, but I can still see them,” Winick described.
- Her classroom also has a tidy computer corner, ideal for one-on-one or small-group learning. The space features a gently curved Elemental® Yin Yang Table paired with Oodle stools.

Student Reactions Upon Reveal

Although Winick’s students knew that new furniture was coming, they didn’t know what it would look like. During installation, Winick covered the window in her classroom door to prevent sneak peeks. Each arriving class got to have its own first experience.

Here are some student comments:

I like that we have a lot of different places to sit.
I like that the tables are on wheels and we can push them. The other ones were so heavy.
I like the couch and the wobble stools.
The couch, because it’s really relaxing and it kinda looks like ... a talk show.
The butcher block table is so beautiful.
The chairs and the tables – I want to sit in my favorite color, blue.

“Seeing the joy on students’ faces and excitement in their voices has been wonderful. This experience has been one that we will never forget,” Winick explained. After the students had a few weeks to settle in, dancker hosted a fun grand opening celebration with treats for students and staff, balloons and a short presentation.

View the Reaction Video Here

'Thank-Yous' All Around

Mrs. Winick expressed her deep gratitude to dancker and Smith System.

“dancker, your design expertise helped us create a space that students could feel comfortable in, where they could enjoy learning. Smith System, your furniture has solved all of my storage woes and provided us with truly functional furniture. Thank you for helping us transform this space into our very own science oasis.”

Mary Lynn Kearns with dancker also expressed her appreciation for Smith System’s partnership. “Smith System is the leader in classroom design and furniture for the education market. We love collaborating with them to co-create a teacher’s dream classroom.”

The contest sponsors and judges thank all of the contestants for submitting their videos. But even more so, we thank all teachers, administrators and schools for everything they do to advance student learning and improve lives. You inspire us!