LETTER: Thank you, PIE, for therapy equipment

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Dear Beloved PIE Community,

You continue to gift us with therapy equipment that helps support student development and overall growth. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and devotion to our students.

This year we received items that added to our existing tools to assist students with sensory/emotional regulation, such as move and sit cushions and oral motor tools (for all age ranges) to be used in classrooms.

We also began offering “sensory boxes” (with a variety of fidget tools) in many classrooms for students to use as needed to manage their sensory needs. Teachers have reported positive feedback with improved student attention.

We received an Airex balance pad (to facilitate improved balance and core strength), hand exercise tools to work on specific finger isolation for keyboarding preparation and finger strengthening, and new wrist weights to facilitate distal stability and hand function. We added a bell ball to our ball collection, which gives auditory input when moved. This facilitates engagement with all students, but is especially useful with younger students, or students who need extra motivation to participate in ball play.

We ordered more spot markers (colorful round rubber discs), which add to our existing supply. We use these markers for a variety of gross motor activities. Students love to put these together with our river stones (previously purchased colorful raised and textured discs) to create elaborate obstacle courses. These obstacle courses facilitate fun play while creating opportunities for improved balance, postural strengthening and motor coordination skills (eye/foot /hand).

We additionally purchased new dexterity vests, which were sorely needed to replace very old existing tools to help children learn fastener manipulation with zippers, buttons and snaps.

Thank you so very much for your continued abundant generosity.

— Nan Van Putten (School OT) and Dyan Prouse (School PT)