Thanks to PowerTech!!
Riverside Oakland Elementary School would like to once again thank Josh Kallsen and his team at PowerTech for providing materials for our Sensory Room. Pictured are the elementary teachers and several items that were purchased by PowerTech. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is slowing the completion of the Sensory Room, but we look forward to its completion soon, stay tuned!!
Michaele Carman and Lisa Putnam started looking into the possibility of a Sensory Room at the Oakland Elementary about a year ago. A Sensory Room would address the needs of students who have social-emotional issues and need a place to calm down or burn off excess energy, which helps them be able to self-regulate before returning to the classroom. We have students who have scheduled breaks during the day, and there is nowhere for them to go. We also have students who may just need a break if they are having a stressful day. Michaele and Lisa visited Sensory Rooms in two other districts and did a virtual tour of a third, and they also researched Sensory Room ideas. The next hurdle was to obtain funding. PowerTech, a company with ties to Riverside, was interested in helping local school districts address the social-emotional issues of their students. We completed their grant application, and they agreed to provide the funding.
