Heritage School
Provo, UT

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Sensory Central In Action

Students in the Peers Academy at Heritage have a variety of sensory needs including anxiousness and over stimulation or under stimulation that results in disengagement from the classroom. Sensory assessments, taken soon after enrollment, provide Heritage staff with information needed to meet the needs of the students.

One female student, who we will call Jessica, has significant sensory needs. She is constantly chewing on things, squeezing toys, holding her stuffed bunny and trying to hide where she can be alone under her blankets or in the quiet room. She does these things to try to regulate her sensory needs and emotions.

Imagine the difficulties Jessica has with anxiety and communication. Sensory Central at Heritage provides a world of opportunities Jessica gets to explore where she can practice viable options for regulating sensory needs.

She compares Sensory Central to the wardrobe the Pevensie children walked through, finding the enchanting world of Narnia on the other side. Students can allow their sense of wonder to lead them as they explore different areas and find what works best for them. Jessica rediscovered her love for drawing and art, something she now practices on the home. She loves the light room, using it as a communication tool. As one staff observed, Jessica changed the lighting color and brightness according to her mood.

Sensory Central, which opened in the summer of 2016, is a valuable resource for students with specific sensory needs.

Therapists use Sensory Central as an area for therapy sessions, specifically play and sand tray therapy. During her therapy sessions Jessica reports she's been able to connect with staff and express herself more fully, thereby finding a starting place to build relationships and address her trauma because she feels safe. She says this area helps her feel special and acknowledged.

As students become more aware of their sensory needs and how they can be addressed, staff work with students on ways their needs can be met at times and in places where they don't have access to a place like Sensory Central.