LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico school district is giving their students and staff a unique way to unwind. As part of a new initiative, there’s a sensory room in every school in the Los Lunas School District. The rooms are filled with a variety of toys students and staff can use.
“We also have aroma therapy, we have a tunnel that’s very popular so you lay underneath it and when you look up in the tunnel it’s like you’re looking at the stars,” said Teri Gough, Katherine Gallegos Elementary Interim Principal.
The district says they wanted to find a way to support students and staff in a social and emotional learning environment. All 15 schools had the opportunity to design their own sensory room, that would meet the needs of their students. Funding for the rooms came from different state and federal funds. “So each school site received $100,000 each to spend on a sensory room which is a generous amount of money,” said Susan D. Chavez, Chief Student Services Officer.
Students who decided to use the sensory room are accompanied by an administrator, a counselor or a coach.
