Over the past few years, there has been a rise in calming spaces for students in schools. Many of these spaces are a result from factors posed by the pandemic including learning loss, social isolation, or social media noise. Regardless, countless students today struggle to reset and regulate their behaviors. Charleroi Area School District is creating classroom environments that might help with that.
As soon as the fluorescent ceiling lights were turned off in the sensory room at Charleroi Area Middle and High School, the room was immediately calm. You could hear the soft bubbling of the bubble tube and wall. The projector displayed gently moving objects in various colors and the fiber optic sprays and waterfall over a vibroacoustic waterbed enticed you to reset and play as they rotated through sparkle and color settings. It was the perfect peaceful setting for a conversation with Charleroi Area School District’s Director of Special Education, Carla Herrnberger about the inspiration of this space.
Charleroi School District, located approximately 25 miles south of Pittsburgh in Fallowfield Township of Washington County, welcomes all diverse learners to their school community. For over 25 years, Carla has put students at the center of her work and continues to strive to create school environments that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the district’s special education students. The concept of a calming room is not new to Charleroi School District or Carla. She explained that Charleroi Area Elementary Center has had an established state of the art sensory room to meet the needs of autistic and emotional support students for years. However, she realized that the middle and high school building lacked resources for students who transition from the elementary center. There has also been an increase in students with autism and those with behavior concerns.
“Kids just need to be de-stressed,” Carla explained. Sensory rooms offer a safe space where students can manage their sensory overload.
This demand inspired Carla to obtain district support and funding in order to partner and design a new sensory room in the Middle and High School building to meet the sensory needs of the district’s students.
Creating an effective sensory room involves careful consideration of various design elements. Carla has been familiar with sensory rooms from her previous position in the Washington School District, but began furthering her research and looked for inspiration from places such as The Children’s Institute in Pittsburgh. She obtained multiple bids from various companies and ultimately partnered with TFH Special Needs Toys, a family run business who specializes in high-quality sensory toys and products. Together, they designed a space that is truly personalized by the goals based upon the needs of the students in the district. Factors that went into deciding which products to fill the room with were based upon students with autism and those who require emotional support. When students may experience a meltdown, they benefit from breaks from sensory stimulation. The resources in this sensory room support their visual system and muscular system so that they are able to reorganize their thoughts to improve their focus. Teachers and paraprofessionals who bring students to this room have received appropriate training to engage students with resources according to their sensory diets.
As the Charleroi School District continues to see the positive impacts of their sensory rooms, future enhancements are being planned. Carla has plans for expansion of the items in the sensory room as well as sensory corners that are conveniently placed within the life skills classroom across the hall. Additionally, staff will continue to receive professional learning support to ensure the sensory rooms’ use is effective. By keeping abreast of new research and techniques, the district can ensure that their sensory rooms continue to meet the evolving needs of their students, fostering an environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive.
Alyssa Moore
Kids just need to be de-stressed.
Carla Herrnberger , Director of Special Education, Charleroi Area School District
