West​ ​Ottawa​ ​Educational​ ​Foundation

Prior to completing this application, you must review your ideas with your building
Principal. Please submit grant application to Jeri Page, Administration Building or via
e-mail​ ​pagej@westottawa.net​​ ​ ​Deadline​ ​for​ ​fall​ ​grant​ ​cycle​ ​is​ ​10/17/17

Name​ ​of​ ​Applicant(s):​ ​Heather​ ​Field​ ​and​ ​Jenna​ ​Engel

School(s)​ ​or​ ​Group​ ​Affiliation:​ ​Pine​ ​Creek​ ​Elementary

Program/Project​ ​Title:​ ​Making​ ​Space​ ​for​ ​a​ ​Peaceful​ ​Place

Amount​ ​of​ ​Funding​ ​Requested:​​ ​$1,762.51

Date​ ​Submitted:​ ​October​ ​2017

Proposal

1. Describe the intent/purpose of your proposal. Include a description of the

individuals​ ​who​ ​will​ ​be​ ​affected.

The purpose of our proposal is to gather materials to create a Peaceful Place in every
interested classroom at Pine Creek Elementary School. This designated “peaceful” area
can give students the opportunity to take a quick break from learning to regain control
over their emotions. Materials such as, books, galaxy bottles, fidgets, and calming
strategy cards can positively impact student emotions and stressors. This proposal will
affect 100% of students at Pine Creek because all classroom and several specialist
teachers​ ​responded​ ​to​ ​a​ ​survey​ ​showing​ ​their​ ​support​ ​for​ ​implementation.

2. Has​ ​your​ ​proposal​ ​received​ ​support​ ​from​ ​your​ ​Building​ ​Principal?

Yes, our proposal has received support from our Building Principal, Krista Visser. On
September 14, 2017, Krista said, ​"In a classroom of 30 students there will often be 15-20
students that have experienced some kind of trauma. Students cannot learn until they
feel safe and learn how to regulate their feelings/emotions. I am in full support of
trauma informed classrooms. Having a calming station/peaceful place for any student
to use when needed gives both the student and the rest of the classroom what is needed
to​ ​continue​ ​learning​ ​safely."
 3. What is your plan for program/project implementation? Include actual
procedures,​ ​methods​ ​and​ ​timing​ ​factors.

Our plan is to prepare all materials for the ​24 interested educators at Pine Creek
Elementary. Material preparation will include, ordering materials, printing and
laminating “Take a Break” strategy cards, and equally distributing materials to each
interested​ ​teacher.

Also, all educators need to be well informed of the research behind the Peaceful Place.
We plan to present our findings to the interested educators and discuss an appropriate
way​ ​to​ ​implement​ ​this​ ​area​ ​into​ ​the​ ​daily​ ​classroom​ ​routine.

The goal is to have materials prepared, distributed, and implemented to all interested
educators​ ​by​ ​January​ ​30,​ ​2018.

4. How​ ​and​ ​when​ ​will​ ​you​ ​evaluate​ ​the​ ​effectiveness​ ​of​ ​your​ ​program/project?

The effectiveness of the project can be measured by tracking the improvements of the
SWIS Behavior Plans and all other individualized classroom behavior management
systems as measured by a survey. An evaluation of the program’s effectiveness will be
made​ ​in​ ​April​ ​2018.

5. What is your proposed budget? If equipment is being purchased, a specification

sheet must be included. If this is meant to be a continuing program, how will
future​ ​expenses​ ​be​ ​funded?

Our​ ​proposed​ ​budget​ ​is​ ​$1,762.51.​ ​See​ ​attached​ ​budget​ ​list.

6. If your application is partially funded or not funded at all by the WOEF, what
would​ ​the​ ​impact​ ​be​ ​on​ ​your​ ​program/project?

The student population at Pine Creek Elementary has daily obstacles to overcome
related to their own personal emotions. Many students come to school each day with
heightened emotions and stressors. Oftentimes our students do not have the ability to
self-regulate these feelings. The Peaceful Place can give students the time to reflect and
release their stress so that optimum learning can take place. The classrooms at Pine
Creek Elementary will be negatively impacted if this program is not fully funded by the
WOEF.
 7. Please include any additional information/research which might assist the grant
selection​ ​committee​ ​in​ ​making​ ​a​ ​decision.

Research​ ​Findings

Elementary​ ​students​ ​come​ ​to​ ​school​ ​with​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​emotions.​ ​ ​There​ ​are​ ​concerns
about​ ​tests,​ ​friendships,​ ​teachers,​ ​homework,​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​ ​Add​ ​to​ ​that​ ​students​ ​who​ ​have
experienced​ ​trauma,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​emotional​ ​climate​ ​in​ ​a​ ​classroom​ ​intensifies.​ ​ ​According​ ​to
the​ ​Treatment​ ​and​ ​Services​ ​Adaptation​ ​Center,​ ​the​ ​“National​ ​Survey​ ​of​ ​Children’s
Exposure​ ​to​ ​Violence​ ​found​ ​that​ ​over​ ​60%​ ​of​ ​children​ ​surveyed​ ​experienced​ ​some​ ​form
of​ ​trauma,​ ​crime,​ ​or​ ​abuse​ ​in​ ​the​ ​prior​ ​year,​ ​with​ ​some​ ​experiencing​ ​multiple​ ​traumas.”1
Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​background​ ​of​ ​trauma​ ​are​ ​the​ ​majority.​ ​ ​When​ ​they​ ​come​ ​to​ ​school,
students​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​put​ ​aside​ ​their​ ​concerns​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​learning,​ ​but​ ​many
students​ ​are​ ​not​ ​equipped​ ​to​ ​handle​ ​such​ ​emotions​ ​and​ ​stressors.
A​ ​designated​ ​“peaceful​ ​place”​ ​in​ ​every​ ​classroom​ ​will​ ​set​ ​students​ ​up​ ​for​ ​success
emotionally​ ​and​ ​academically.​ ​ ​Assistant​ ​Principal​ ​Ryan​ ​Wheeler​ ​says,​ ​“Expecting
children​ ​to​ ​do​ ​sustained​ ​work​ ​in​ ​assigned​ ​seats​ ​is​ ​not​ ​always​ ​going​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​best
results.​ ​ ​For​ ​this​ ​reason,​ ​instituting​ ​an​ ​area​ ​of​ ​respite,​ ​or​ ​a​ ​Quiet​ ​Zone,​ ​can​ ​help​ ​improve
student​ ​engagement.”2​ ​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​will​ ​students​ ​struggling​ ​to​ ​overcome​ ​symptoms​ ​of
trauma​ ​benefit​ ​from​ ​a​ ​peaceful​ ​place,​ ​but​ ​all​ ​students​ ​will​ ​have​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​build
self-regulation​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​increase​ ​their​ ​engagement​ ​in​ ​learning.
Students​ ​with​ ​a​ ​trauma​ ​history​ ​are​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​struggle​ ​with​ ​self-regulation
physiologically,​ ​emotionally,​ ​cognitively,​ ​and​ ​socially.​ ​ ​“When​ ​neglect,​ ​abuse,​ ​and
trauma​ ​rob​ ​children​ ​of​ ​the​ ​security​ ​of​ ​a​ ​loving​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​an​ ​invested​ ​caregiver,
the​ ​capacity​ ​to​ ​self-regulate​ ​is​ ​also​ ​undermined,”3​ ​says​ ​Barbara​ ​Sorrels,​ ​author​ ​or
Reaching​ ​and​ ​Teaching​ ​Children​ ​Exposed​ ​to​ ​Trauma​.​ ​ ​The​ ​symptoms​ ​of​ ​trauma​ ​can
inhibit​ ​learning​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​behaviors​ ​that​ ​are​ ​challenging​ ​for​ ​teachers,​ ​such​ ​as

1
​ ​Treatment​ ​and​ ​Services​ ​Adaptation​ ​Center,​ ​https://traumaawareschools.org
2
​ ​Wheeler,​ ​Ryan.​ ​“Entering​ ​the​ ​Quiet​ ​Zone.”​ ​May​ ​16,​ ​2017.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/entering-quiet-zone-ryan-wheeler
3
​ ​Sorrels,​ ​Barbara.​ ​Reaching​ ​and​ ​Teaching​ ​Children​ ​Exposed​ ​to​ ​Trauma​,​ ​2015.​ ​Page​ ​101
sensory​ ​overstimulation,​ ​emotional​ ​meltdowns,​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​impulse​ ​control,​ ​withdrawal​ ​from
activities,​ ​and​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​social​ ​skills​ ​which​ ​causes​ ​difficulty​ ​making​ ​friends.
Each​ ​tool​ ​and​ ​resource​ ​included​ ​in​ ​a​ ​peaceful​ ​place​ ​serves​ ​an​ ​intentional
purpose​ ​in​ ​helping​ ​students​ ​regulate​ ​their​ ​emotions.​ ​ ​Sorrels​ ​states,​ ​“The​ ​capacity​ ​to
appropriately​ ​manage​ ​strong​ ​emotion​ ​begins​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​identify​ ​and​ ​name
emotions.​ ​ ​If​ ​a​ ​child​ ​can​ ​name​ ​it,​ ​she​ ​can​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​control​ ​it.”4​ ​ ​Tools​ ​such​ ​as​ ​picture
books,​ ​emotion/feelings​ ​charts,​ ​and​ ​mirrors​ ​give​ ​students​ ​visual,​ ​tangible​ ​ways​ ​to
identify​ ​their​ ​emotions​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​provide​ ​them​ ​with​ ​language​ ​for​ ​reflecting​ ​on​ ​their
feelings.​ ​ ​A​ ​set​ ​of​ ​strategies​ ​on​ ​a​ ​ring​ ​will​ ​give​ ​students​ ​opportunities​ ​to​ ​choose​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to
manage​ ​their​ ​feelings​ ​appropriately.​ ​ ​Other​ ​items,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​pinwheels,​ ​fidgets,​ ​galaxy
bottles,​ ​and​ ​stress​ ​balls,​ ​help​ ​create​ ​a​ ​physical​ ​release​ ​of​ ​emotional​ ​turmoil​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way
that​ ​is​ ​safe.
A​ ​cozy​ ​place​ ​to​ ​sit​ ​with​ ​tissues,​ ​hearing​ ​protectors,​ ​and​ ​reflection​ ​charts​ ​makes
the​ ​peaceful​ ​place​ ​a​ ​positive​ ​choice​ ​to​ ​tune​ ​out​ ​distractions​ ​for​ ​a​ ​few​ ​moments​ ​in​ ​order
to​ ​re-center​ ​and​ ​get​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​business​ ​of​ ​learning.​ ​ ​Sand​ ​timers​ ​hold​ ​students
accountable​ ​in​ ​remembering​ ​that​ ​while​ ​it​ ​is​ ​acceptable​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​these​ ​emotions,​ ​we​ ​don’t
stay​ ​in​ ​those​ ​moments​ ​long,​ ​but​ ​rather​ ​find​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​handle​ ​the​ ​emotions​ ​and​ ​move​ ​on.
This​ ​comfortable,​ ​inviting​ ​space​ ​builds​ ​self-regulation​ ​as​ ​it​ ​draws​ ​students​ ​in​ ​by​ ​choice,
helps​ ​them​ ​identify​ ​their​ ​strong​ ​emotions,​ ​and​ ​gives​ ​them​ ​a​ ​place​ ​to​ ​manage​ ​emotions
without​ ​fear​ ​of​ ​punishment,​ ​shame,​ ​or​ ​embarrassment.​ ​ ​As​ ​Sorrels​ ​states,​ ​“Children
should​ ​never​ ​be​ ​punished​ ​or​ ​shamed​ ​for​ ​feeling​ ​strong​ ​emotion​ ​--​ ​even​ ​negative​ ​ones.”5
Educators​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​making​ ​classrooms​ ​a​ ​safe​ ​and
comfortable​ ​learning​ ​environment​ ​for​ ​all.​ ​ ​Creating​ ​trauma-informed​ ​classrooms​ ​is
essential​ ​to​ ​providing​ ​a​ ​safe​ ​space​ ​for​ ​all​ ​students.​ ​ ​Teachers​ ​can​ ​do​ ​this​ ​by
implementing​ ​a​ ​“peaceful​ ​place”​ ​for​ ​students​ ​to​ ​regain​ ​control​ ​and​ ​practice
self-regulation.​ ​ ​ ​ ​Supporting​ ​classroom​ ​teachers​ ​with​ ​the​ ​necessary​ ​tools​ ​to​ ​help​ ​create
spaces​ ​for​ ​children​ ​to​ ​examine​ ​their​ ​emotions​ ​and​ ​work​ ​through​ ​regaining​ ​control​ ​will
lead​ ​to​ ​increased​ ​student​ ​learning.

4
​ ​Sorrels,​ ​Barbara.​ ​Reaching​ ​and​ ​Teaching​ ​Children​ ​Exposed​ ​to​ ​Trauma​,​ ​2015.​ ​Page​ ​113-114
5
​ ​Sorrels,​ ​Barbara.​ ​Reaching​ ​and​ ​Teaching​ ​Children​ ​Exposed​ ​to​ ​Trauma​,​ ​2015.​ ​Page​ ​115