MACON, Ga. — Bibb County Schools is planning on adding 11 sensory rooms to help children with special needs such as autism. These rooms will also help students with behavioral issues.
These rooms are designed to help the children relax. With dim lighting and comfortable seating, the rooms can help offer them peace.
Jennifer Donnelly, executive director of Bibb County Program for Exceptional Education, said she wanted this project to be unique to others before it.
"I did not just want to add staff," Donnelly said, "I wanted something that was concrete and needed."
Jay Perkins is the owner of Sensory Room Solutions, and he designed the sensory rooms. He said while designing, he kept the children's needs in mind.
For example, one feature in the rooms is ceiling tiles that look like the night sky. He said a lot of children with sensory needs to not get to see the night sky because the light may be too much to handle.
The tiles allow them to experience something new, "So when they're lying on their backs at the bubble tube and looking up at the night sky and seeing a shooting star, it really brings alive what they've seen in books," Perkins said.
April Harriger, Principal of Northwoods Academy, said she's happy her school will get to offer the rooms.
"Some children can't focus and they aren't able to verbalize why, and so having this outlet where they can have those sensory needs met will help them be able to focus in the classroom."
The district hopes to add more rooms within the next year.