A Calming Corner of Innovation: The Revamped Sensory Room at Monessen Elementary Center

 A Calming Corner of Innovation: The Revamped Sensory Room at Monessen Elementary Center

As we continue our journey toward building the New Modern Monessen, I’m thrilled to spotlight another powerful step forward in supporting our students' needs — the complete revamp of the Sensory Room at Monessen Elementary Center.

This space, carefully redesigned and reimagined over the summer, is already becoming an invaluable tool for many of our students. I want to take a moment to offer my deepest thanks to Andrea Cleary and Justin Santoro, whose time, passion, and expertise brought this room to life. Their dedication to student well-being and equity in learning environments reflects the very heart of our mission in Monessen.

What is a Sensory Room?

A sensory room is a therapeutic space designed to support students who may be experiencing sensory processing challenges, emotional dysregulation, or stress. These rooms are equipped with calming lighting, textures, sounds, and equipment that help students self-regulate — meaning they can manage their emotions, refocus, and return to learning more successfully.

For students with autism, ADHD, anxiety, trauma histories, or other sensory sensitivities, this room provides a safe environment where they can decompress, reset, and build emotional awareness in a controlled and supportive setting. But it’s not just for special education students — the room is available for any child who may need a break during a challenging part of their day.

How Is It Used?

At Monessen Elementary Center, the sensory room is:

  • Integrated into student behavior and support plans

  • Used proactively to help students prepare for transitions or overwhelming situations

  • Used reactively when students need to de-escalate from a moment of stress or overstimulation

  • Staff-guided, with specific tools and activities to build self-regulation skills over time

This isn’t a "time-out" room — it’s a growth space that helps students build the emotional intelligence and coping strategies they need to succeed both academically and socially.

A Key Part of the New Modern Monessen

The revamped sensory room is more than just a calming space — it’s a symbol of our evolving approach to education. In today’s world, we know that supporting the whole child is not optional — it’s essential. As part of the New Modern Monessen initiative, we are committed to designing learning environments that are not just modern in technology and design, but modern in empathy, inclusivity, and mental health awareness.

The addition of our revamped sensory space joins a growing list of new supports and innovations, including:

  • The Pup Hub and Hound Hub media centers

  • Our E-Games and Cybersecurity Labs

  • Music and TV production studios

  • Student-run coffee shop

  • Expanded special education and English learner services

Every new resource — including this sensory room — represents our belief that every child deserves to be seen, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Final Thanks

Again, I want to personally thank Andrea Cleary and Justin Santoro for going above and beyond to ensure this space was ready for our students this fall. Your work is changing lives, one student at a time.

We are proud of the path we are paving together — a modern, compassionate, and innovative Monessen.


By  Dr. Robert Motte, Superintendent
August 2025


Let’s continue to go the extra mile for our kids.
#NewModernMonessen #StudentWellness #EveryGreyhoundMatters

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