The Shadow Project was featured on KPTV! Their crew recently had a chance to visit one of our SuperSensory Spaces at Fairview Elementary in the Reynolds School District to see how it is benefiting both students and educators. Check it out: 

What is a SuperSensory Space

SuperSensory Spaces equip educators to guide students through structured breaks with sensory tools, where kids build skills to manage complex emotions at school and in life. 

“It’s allowed students to self-advocate in a moment where they may be struggling.”

Jennifer Bently, Glenfair Elementary Assistant Principal

Why it Matters

In a SuperSensory Space, students build durable skills that help them cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and communicate their needs, so they can fully engage in learning. Schools today often don’t have the resources to provide the tools and training needed to incorporate this framework, and students get disciplined instead of support. Our programs, especially SuperSensory Spaces, help students build their self-regulation muscles, while equipping educators to support students positively and proactively.

Without a proactive space designed with tools for regulation, educators are often using what they have around the school. One principal described, “We’d walk in the hallway, we’d maybe be able to go swing on the swings, or their behavior escalated to a point where room clears would have to happen…They were unable to get back to their learning for a super long time. We just didn’t have a proactive or reactive sensory space at all.”

Impact

With 6 new spaces added to schools around the Portland Metro area for the 2026-27 school year, the impacts for their students should be felt quickly. Our evaluations from the 2025-26 school year found that: 

• 77% of schools with a newly launched SuperSensory Space reported decreases in learning-disrupting behaviors in their first year
• 68% of students demonstrated stronger self-regulation skills
• 71% of students improved their ability to identify and communicate their emotions

Students who use a SuperSensory Space are spending more time in class, learning and connecting with their peers instead of in detention or suspended. Jennifer Bently, Glenfair Elementary Assistant Principal, remarked, “It’s allowed students to self-advocate in a moment where they may be struggling. They have a choice to self-regulate in a way that works for them. That’s given such empowerment to our kiddos.”

If you are interested in bringing a SuperSensory Space to your elementary or middle school, please reach out to Wendy through this contact form!

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The Shadow Project envisions an education system that normalizes and celebrates learning differences, and supports every student to thrive in school. Learn more about our school-based programs for students with learning challenges.