Comfort Room

Some students struggle with sensory overload which leads to a state of severe agitation and anxiety and of course can impact academic success. Aware of this issue and its impact on classroom success, Gillis School Director, Pam Sanders, began to seek a solution. She discovered that research suggests that sensory activities such as rocking in a chair and drawing can combat this issue. Sensory activities help students better comprehend their environment, develop and engage new neural pathways in the brain, increase body awareness, and develop language. Thus, the Comfort Room was born in the Gillis School. To help students find school success, they are now offered a visit to the Comfort Room to help gain composure and to avoid any crisis behavior. Many have already found that this is the one thing that really helps them refocus and we can see this impact in their learning. The room includes an oversized soft chair that rocks, a CD player with head phones, bean bag chairs, journaling and art supplies, yoga mats, nature and relaxation CD’s, scenic posters on the walls, a large comfortable rug, an aromatherapy diffuser kit, and a sound machine. A special thank you to our donors who supplied the necessary items for the Comfort Room.