Weston Elementary secures $10K to transform sensory room

IMLAY CITY — Weston Elementary School is expanding its student support services this year following a combined $10,250 in grant funding dedicated to renovating the campus’s Spartan Sensory Room.

The primary funding comes via a $10,000 grant from the Four County Community Foundation’s Dora and Toos Ondersma Fund, secured over the summer by Weston Elementary Resource Room teacher Chander Crump. Crump also obtained an additional $250 grant from the Kiwanis Club of Lapeer to support the project.

Designed in collaboration with a sensory room specialist from Fun and Function, the updated facility will feature specialized equipment tailored to aid emotional regulation, sensory processing, and anxiety management. Key additions include a sensory swing, crash mats, interactive wall panels, weighted supports, bubble tube and fiber optic lighting, gel floor tiles, and specialized seating.

According to school officials, the space aims to serve a broader demographic than traditional special education programs.

“Every day we work with students who struggle with emotional regulation, sensory processing, attention, anxiety, and communication,” Crump said. “While many of these students receive Special Education services, we also see a growing number of general education students who need additional support to successfully participate in the classroom.”

Crump noted that the room will be used intentionally to help students recognize regulation needs, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and reduce barriers to classroom learning.

Implementation of the new room will be a collaborative effort. Crump will coordinate the space’s rollout alongside Lapeer County ISD occupational therapists, a speech-language pathologist from the Consortium for Exceptional Children, classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, and school administrators.

District leadership views the sensory room as a long-term investment in campus-wide student well-being, providing resources intended to foster self-regulation skills and improve overall academic engagement.