By Casey Neill
A $70,000 multi-sensory room is starting to take shape at Wallarano Primary School.
Principal Gail Doney said this was largely thanks to $10,000 donations from Club Noble and Dingley Village Bendigo Bank.
From discussions, she was expecting about $5000 from each and was blown away by the $20,000 total presented on Friday 7 October.
“Noble Park children deserve as much, if not more, than children in more affluent areas,” she said.
“I like to see them get something. It just warms my heart.
“I was absolutely thrilled to bits and delighted and so grateful.
“We do our best to save for it, but that just tips it over the edge.”
Ms Doney said a builder would renovate the classroom during the Christmas holidays and she hoped to finish fitting out the space by the end of term one.
It will feature tubes filled with bubbles, multisensory lights and different textures.
“The educational advantages of it are huge,” Ms Doney said.
“It’s not going to be something that’s just a playroom.”
The school has more than 40 children with disabilities, about 10 per cent of its student body.
She said a multi-sensory room would provide a calming background to their learning.
Research shows that time spent in a multi-sensory environment increases concentration, focuses attention, improves alertness, awakens memories, and improves creativity, social relations and communications.
The research also shows such rooms encourage thought, intelligence and social skill development.
Ms Doney said tactile learners and children with anxiety could also benefit.
“We work very much on children self-regulating their behaviour,” she said.
“We have a saying here that Wallarano children do the right thing whether they’re being watched or not.
“This will help with monitoring themselves and regulating their responses.”
