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Principal Robin Melvin proudly announced at the December AAESA Board meeting that the Hillside Learning & Behavior Center has received a Delano Foundation Grant for the development of a Sensory Room at the center. Robin is the principal of the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (AAESA) Hillside Learning & Behavior Center (Previously the Allegan County Development Center). Melvin wrote the grant with Center Occupational Therapists Shelly Boerman and Shelly DeVries. The Sensory Room will serve student, ages 2 to 26, with severe impairments who also have sensory deficits which further disrupt their every day lives.
"When we do anything, like stepping into a canoe, we receive information from various sensory channels, explains Melvin. “Our brains are programmed to organize or integrate this sensory information to make it meaningful to us. A child with sensory integration dysfunction cannot adapt effectively, smoothly and with satisfaction to a normal environment and needs a highly specialized environment tailor-made for his nervous system. When such an environment (i.e. Sensory Room) is set up appropriately the child will be able to integrate sensations he has never been able to before integrate. For individuals with neurological and/or cognitive challenges, a Sensory Room is often the link to a whole new world. “A person who spends time in a Sensory Room has been shown to develop improved concentration and alertness, calming behavior and a better awareness of the surrounding world”, says Shelly Boerman. “We have identified 45 - 80 Hillside Center children who have very significant sensory dysfunction in all areas, while the remaining school population could benefit through new activities offered”, added DeVries. For more information on the timetable, cost and expected outcomes of this expanded and leading-edge sensory room addition to the Hillside Center’s programs, please see contact: Area Educational Service Agency
310 Thomas Street
Allegan MI 49010
Contact: Midge Stamas
269.673.2161
Email:
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Fax: 269.673.2361
Contact: Robin Melvin, Principal
Hillside Learning & Behavior Center
269.673.2167
Email:
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