Winnetka Elementary Wellness Room

Funded Sep 5, 2023

My students and I are using the new resources in our newly created Wellness Room to connect, calm down, and work on social emotional goals and wellbeing. Recently, when a 1st grade student was experiencing separation anxiety and school avoidance, she was able to connect with her emotions and calm down in the Wellness Room using the book "A Little Spot of Feelings" and the accompanying emotion plushies. Reading the book with me and then using the plushies to name and explore her emotions assisted her in processing how she was feeling before being able to return to class and finish out the day at school.

When students who have never been in the Wellness Room enter the space, their faces light up. Students who struggle with emotions or cooperation at school often feel as though they are "in trouble" when they leave class with an adult. However, the Wellness Room, now filled with activities and visual décor, is inviting and provides them with an alternative to feeling as though having difficult feelings is "bad." The room provides a serene environment with large tapestries of nature scenes and tools to help them manage feelings. They use the playdough or beads to focus on something creative, tactile, and soothing. They use the yoga mats and card deck to manage emotions through movement. They use the fitness balls to bounce to bring balance, concentration, soothing, joy, or all of the above. Every child is so different, and the variety of tools available in the Wellness Room allow students space and time to find what works for them, so they can get back to learning with their best foot forward.

We are so thankful for your contributions to our school's Wellness Room. Winnetka Elementary is a better place because of your generosity!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Newman