APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A small slice of history was made on Wednesday for the Appleton Area School District. A record-breaking $95,000 grant was awarded by the Appleton Education Fund (AEF) to the school district after an abundance of requests for sensory regulation toolkits
“The Appleton Education Foundation responds to requests from educators for creative program and project ideas that are happening in classrooms and schools,” said Julie Krause, executive director of AEF. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increasing number of requests for sensory wellness and regulation tools.”
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The toolkits include items of all different shapes, sizes, textures and colors. Often categorized into different sensuous elements like touch, sound, visual and body position.
All have the potential to alleviate anxiety, increase engagement in the classroom and provide an outlet for a student’s energy.
“Regulation is something the occupational therapists have worked heavily with,” said the school district’s physical therapist, Stacy Wickersheim. “I work with the team of OT’s to pick items that are evidence-based and really give the kids what they need.”
All kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms will be equipped with sensory regulation toolkits. This includes neighborhood and charter schools; regular education classrooms, as well as art, music, P.E., STEM classrooms and LMCs.
It is projected to benefit over 6,500 students annually.
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Items in the kits include fidget rings, texture stones, calming visual objects and breathing tools like expandable balls that help children learn controlled breathing. These tools will allow students to self-regulate without leaving class, helping them stay engaged in learning.
“These are skills that will benefit our students for the rest of their lives,” AASD special education leaders said of the program, noting the long-term benefits of teaching children how to manage big emotions and stay focused in the classroom.
