Regulation Station

In 2021, Benold School Counselors collaborated with the the Health & Wellness Advisory Design Team and the Benold PTA to create a calming room for our students. Collectively we determined that students needed a safe space to practice self-regulating coping skills and strategies in a private area, especially during times of high unpleasant emotions (when the students are in the No Brain). Parents, staff, and local businesses donated time and money, and assisted the Health & Wellness Advisory Design Team in creating the calming room we called The Nest. 

In 2024, we were awarded an Education Foundation Grant to build upon our student space. We noticed that students not only needed a break when feeling overwhelmed, but also when issues in the classroom (student to student and/or student to teacher) were starting to arise. Since students' brains are not fully developed during their middle school years, they rely on emotional reactions in instances of uncertainty  rather than coping strategies to calm down and think through the situation logically. The grant has allowed us to implement a process to help students regulate their emotions and then teach behaviors that are considered to be appropriate so that they can better handle situations in the future. Through this restorative practice, students participate in a guided reflection with an adult after given the opportunity to regulate, and then mend the relationship with their teacher that may have been effected by their behavior.

In the Regulation Station (formerly known as The Nest), students have access to a variety of sensory tools and coloring pages that they can utilize while walking on a treadmill, using a stationary bike, or sitting comfortably in soft seating. The soft lighting and sound machine provide students grounding opportunities using their senses. Yoga mats are available for students interested in stretching or using a guided meditation to calm the body. The Regulation Station  is a safe environment available to students to self-regulate (Relax) and return to class or regulate before a guided reflection (Recharge). The Relax and Recharge processes are utilized to promote self knowledge and personal responsibility, and help students grow towards social and emotional maturity. At the beginning of the school year, students are taught about the process for accessing the Regulation Station and reminded about using coping strategies to help get them from the No Brain to the Yes Brain and ready to learn.

 Below is more information about Relax and Recharge: