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Elementary sensory circuit pilot credited with reducing student escalations, staff say
Summary
Special-education staff described a low-cost sensory 'circuit' room piloted with 7–8 students that staff reported helped regulate students and reduce injury incidents; the board heard associated accident/incident reporting and an escalation-tracker update.
Lisa Lutz, a district special-education staff member, described a small sensory circuit room piloted at the elementary school. The room includes four zones—heavy proprioceptive activities, active motion, balance work and a tactile calming area—designed to help students regulate before returning to class. Lutz said staff piloted the room with seven or eight students over six to seven weeks and reported positive teacher feedback: students returned to classrooms in a calmer state and some repeated staff‑injury incidents decreased.
The superintendent and another administrator described an 'escalation tracker' form used by staff to consolidate incident reporting and identify patterns; the board heard that while formal accident reports decreased, the tracker captured many escalations that did not result in injury. Directors and staff discussed staffing constraints if the sensory-room program expands: the current pilot relied on an extra staff member and growth may require reassignments or additional hires. The board expressed support for expanding the program if staffing and cost constraints can be managed.
