The calming atmosphere inside Moyer Elementary’s “sensory room” is filled with all the accouterment needed to bring stress levels down. Created with the express purpose of de-stimulating students with sensory issues so they can be better prepared for learning and interacting with their peers. This specially designed room features soft lighting, weighted blankets, a bubble tube water feature, tactile objects, and a crash pad to help students self-regulate or relax. The room was finished along with the Moyer renovation a few years ago and helps daily to support students with sensory disorders.

“At Moyer, we see each student as an individual and understand each has individual needs,” says Moyer principal Peter Winkler. “Having the sensory room, we can support students when needs arise as well as scheduled visits to support the overall balance of a student. 

Funded with help from the Fort Thomas Education Foundation and the Moyer PTO, the sensory room is another example of how the Foundation collaborates with other organizations to help provide necessary, innovative, and even sometimes groundbreaking features to the Fort Thomas school system. By allowing educators to create “wish lists” of items that they feel would benefit their classrooms and providing the funds with help from donors in our community, the FTEF is able to help these teachers elevate the learning experience from both an educator and student standpoint.

For principals like Winkler, assistance from within the community for our schools is an invaluable way to create an educational partnership on the cutting edge of learning. “Our facilities are top-notch, we have technology that enhances the student experience and resources that help teachers to do what they do each and every day,” he says. “We are very fortunate to have a community that values education so highly as well as a Foundation with the sole purpose of supporting our schools and students,” Winkler continues. “In my years of graduate work and collaboration with other administrators, this model of community and school connection is the goal, and it’s happening right here in Fort Thomas each day!”

To help the FTEF continue our support of programs like Moyer’s Sensory Room make a year-end donation today.