Improving the total student experience at South School

South School’s mission has been focused on improving the total student experience, and thanks to the generous donations of the South School parent community, this mission became a reality. How do you make an already wonderful school even better? You build a Friends With Friends Playground and phase in kinesthetic classroom furniture.

Helen Nishi, South School Physical Therapist and Special Education Team Member, led the charge to create a safe and welcoming place where children with special or different needs can play with classmates and peers. Whether it’s sensory, sensory overload, motor, safety or social skills, this playground is less overwhelming and offers them everything and more.

The Friends With Friends Playground was installed two weeks ago, is the first of its kind in town and is open to children of all abilities and all grade levels. The new play structure includes a log roll, parallel bars, rock-n-ring panel, stand up see saw and a swing set. It’s a valuable addition and option when children need a safe, quiet environment to play and/or work on various skills.

Ms. Nishi was also a huge supporter of South School piloting and phasing in Kinesthetic Classrooms. “Children need movement in order for their brains and neurological systems to work properly,” Ms. Nishi said. She noted that children’s attention spans are decreasing further and further and movement is essential to increasing their attention and focus. Movement impacts our vestibular system, which has a huge role in our neurologic system development and maturity. When we move, receptors in our joints and muscles also activate and send signals to the brain saying “alert, alert, stay alert.”

This is South School’s phase in year for the Kinesthetic Classrooms. South has equipped the third and fourth grade classrooms with standing desks, wobble stools and ball chairs. These additions in the classroom allow students to move as they work as well as change positions. They plan to add additional equipment to these classrooms as well as add equipment to other grades. While children still need and will benefit from motor and movement breaks, developing Kinesthetic classrooms and equipping classrooms with differentiated furniture will have a valuable and positive effect in helping students perform at their best. Melissa Coffman and Kristen Grzymski, Co-Presidents of the South School PTC, remarked that “we are thrilled to be able to support the needs of our students and teachers through the generosity of our parent community.”

The funds to make both of these incredible projects possible were raised through the donations of the South School parent body. No town education budget was allotted or used. Joanne Rocco, South School Principal noted: “We are so grateful for Helen Nishi’s passion and leadership on these two initiatives and can’t thank the South School PTC enough for their support and kindness.”