Rockford Elementary School
devastation
Rockford Elementary serves children each year with physical & emotional struggles. They had No place in the school for students to de-escalate, in a designated safe space, and allow their body and mind to come back into a healthy rhythm and balance. “We want to create a safe place that all students can use when pressure and anxiety mounts to an unsafe or unmanageable place. Anxiety is at an all time high for kids and we want them to learn to manage it so their learning can continue” says Asst. Principal Nichole McCord.
daily challenges
Teachers often had to remove children from the class, but no real place to take them, after outbursts, or inappropriate behavior
Minimal opportunities for Sensory input
Crave opportunities for appropriate active movement
Toys, games, and tools to help re-regulate their mind and shift their focus on something new for a short period of time
design solutions
Created a Treehouse themed Calming room, with 4 specific quadrants: Sensory, Reading, Relax, and Swing for active movement
Sensory Quadrant provide a tactile wall with removable boards and Lego table for fine motor skill development
Reading quadrant featured a large inflatable canoe to cuddle and read a book; the hugging sensation of the canoe gives comfort and a feeling of safety
Relax quadrant offers a tent with weighted blanket, vibrating pillow, and breathing ball for students to spend quality time alone for a few moments using these tools to help them breathe deep, relax, and come back into a healthy rhythm of body and mind
The indoor swing is a favorite because it hugs and provides a gentle rocking motion that will lower blood pressure and help calm the child
Ceiling Clouds with LED lights offer a soft twinkle light experience
Leafy Window film blocks out the visual chaos outside the room to create a private, safe, special place for kids and teachers to focus
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