KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The first sensory room in Knox County Schools opened Thursday, one year after receiving a $35,000 grant to build it.
“I just can’t even say how grateful we are. We’re very thrilled and our kids are very lucky,” said Pleasant Ridge Elementary Principal Jennifer Morell.
Pleasant Ridge Elementary worked alongside Blue Care Tennessee and Knox County Schools to install their first sensory room. According to Morell, the room designed to benefit students intellectually and mentally is a relatively new development for schools.
Scoop found in water with dead bugs during Knoxville restaurant inspection
“This was definitely not a thing that would have happened when I was in school,” she said. “Discipline and expectations for students have changed over the years and I think this room allows us to really educate the whole child. So, it’s not just your academics that we’re worried about. It’s your emotional health, your self-regulation, and your physical health as well.”