DONNA, Texas (ValleyCentral) —The Donna Independent School District is introducing new sensory equipment in all of their life skills classrooms in the district.
Five schools in the district have sensory rooms. The sensory rooms have sensory equipment for life skills students to use. Other campuses implement the equipment and furniture in the classrooms for the student’s use.
The sensory equipment is used to help the children develop skills to cope with real-world environments where staying calm is key.
A.P Solis Middle School is one of the schools with a sensory room.
Principal Mary Lou Rodriguez of the school says the sensory rooms are used by their students to release energy and communicate their feelings more effectively with educators.
“What happens here after they leave the sensory room is that they are able to go into a class focus, sit and concentrate more,” Rodriguez said.
She said the sensory rooms are used by their students to release energy and communicate their feelings more effectively with educators.
Ryan Rodriguez a student at A.P. Solis Middle School has used the room and said the room makes him calm and happy.
The room is divided into 4 different centers, all used for different purposes. principal Rodriguez showed that said center utilizes a swing to decompress.
“Students can come in and either lay on it or almost cradle this. it helps with their fine motor skills and their sensory processing,” Rodriguez said.
Celina Peralez is the life skills teacher at the school, she said the equipment has made a difference in her students.
“I’ve seen a big difference in my student’s behavior and their attention and focus thankfully to the sensory room that we have created for them. i think it has empowered them to manage their emotions better,” Peralez said.
Donna ISD spent 1-point-2 million dollars in ESSER funds to buy the equipment for their schools.
