Mt. Pleasant schools win statewide sensory path design competition

MT. PLEASANT - Lincoln Elementary School second-and-fifth-graders slowly crept through the hallways, balancing on a 'log” pasted onto the ground and doing push-ups against panther paws on a wall before striking a tree pose and heading off to P.E. They quietly ran through the indoor course twice under the instruction of exercise science teacher Heidi Huckabone, bravely leaping from pad to pad. Huckabone walks through the path first, and her students follow closely behind, mimicking her movements.

Their careful footwork follows a brand-new sensory path that was just installed in their school on Friday, Nov. 8. Lincoln as well as Van Allen Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant Community School District were both given free sensory paths by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach's School Wellness Integration Targeting Children's Health (SWITCH) program after winning a designing competition held across the state. The sensory path is comprised of colorful pads that have been attached to the floor and serves as a mini course through the school's hallway meant to provide sensory input to improve students' cognitive function and information retention abilities.

'We were very excited … we're kind of the guinea pig and we already have modifications that we're talking to the SWITCH program about,” Huckabone said.

SWITCH is a statewide program intended to help schools develop strategies to implement their own wellness programs centered on getting kids to engage in physical activities, reduce screen time and choose healthier food options. Van Allen, one of the first schools in the county to join the program, has been utilizing SWITCH for three years, with all other elementary schools and middle schools in the district joining the following year. In Henry County, a total of 7 schools participate in the program, mostly elementary schools and several middle schools. Across the state, currently 50 schools are SWITCH schools.

Erin Heaton, the 4-H youth coordinator at Henry County's ISU Extension office, said the program was created to address the need for kids to 'move more.”

'Their brains function better when they've had a little exercise,” Heaton said, adding that she thinks 'it's awesome” that two schools from within the county won the statewide contest.

'We have some spectacular students and staff who are really passionate about bringing wellness into schools, which shows it's needed and wanted in buildings, and they went the extra mile to submit designs,” Heaton concluded.

Lisa Lowery, Van Allen Elementary School's exercise science teacher, explained that the school's design was created with the help of students, which allowed for personalized aspects of the path.

'What was really cool was that the students incorporated the Mt. Pleasant Panthers into the design. The path talks about being a panther so it was kind of cool that it wasn't just generic,” Lowery mentioned.

For the teacher, the path serves two purposes: helping students 'get wiggle worms out and burn energy,” as well as help students develop balance, flexibility and locomotive skills.

'I just think the smaller our students, the more they need some stimulation … the [sensory path] is another way of reaching those kids who need a break … it's kind of the ‘sound body, sound mind,' concept,” Lowery added.

'The goal is to eventually get them in every elementary building,” Lowery concluded.

Van Allen Elementary still is in the process of laying out their sensory path and plan to have it completed by next week. Lowery hopes to get students who were involved with designing the path last year to help with putting down the real thing.

The sensory paths are not only a creative way to get students on their feet and moving inside school buildings, but also aimed at providing students areas that will act as outlets for energy and stress.

Lori LaFrenz, Lincoln Elementary School's principal, noted that the sensory path is a new tool the school can use to help regulate students who may be experiencing stress or anxiety. Utilizing new techniques like the sensory path is just one of many new mechanisms teachers in the district are learning about to become more trauma informed.

'It's all good practice. There are times when we all feel somewhat off, and we're teaching kids how to cope with those feelings,” LaFrenz said.

'Movement is a good way to distress for anyone and the [sensory path has] prescribed movements, like forward for this jump, or go backward. It helps students take their mind out of what's bothering them and helps them focus just on how they're feeling and what their body is doing. It helps them focus on something other than the stressor,” the principal further explained.