**2. Elementary school calming room project**

The University of Minnesota Extension Children, Youth, and Family Consortium collaborated with Bruce Vento, a local elementary school, to capitalize on the strengths of the school and its community in supporting its students [15]. The project partners worked together to identify the biggest areas of need in this East Saint Paul school, which is under-resourced with a diverse student body, many of whom experience chronic stress and behavioral dysregulation. During the process, the implementation of a calming room to provide a space for students to develop self-regulation skills was derived. The University personnel then connected with the Interior design program to join the project partners in the design process. This led to the integration of the calming room project in a sophomore level interior design course at the University of Minnesota in spring 2015 taught by the first author. Interior design students were able to connect directly with the community through site visits and working with the school staff to learn more about the design problem and existing conditions (**Figure 1**).

#### **2.1 The design**

The project goal was to redesign the existing institutional looking calming room in Bruce Vento elementary school to foster students' self-regulation. In several days in a design studio course, 23 interior design students worked in groups of three to design a safe place for children to express emotions, develop effective coping skills, and learn self-regulation skills. On day one, students visited the school to meet with the principal, counselor, and teachers in the existing calming room. On day two, students presented their existing space analysis and building system report then developed their concept and schematic designs (2D floor plan and 3D interior vignette sketches) in studio. On day three, students presented their concept and schematic design to the clients and for their feedback. Days four and five were spent in the studio finalizing the design with the instructor's feedback and desk critiques. On day six, students presented finalized design drawings to the school principal, counselor, representatives from the University of Minnesota Extension Children, Youth and Family Consortium, a local architect, instructors, and their peers.

After the presentations, two groups had their design solutions selected and incorporated in the actual space. The first group proposed a design to allow children experience a personal adventure (**Figure 2**). The second student group proposed the space to be a haven for students and enable them to self-regulate quickly, efficiently (**Figure 3**). The implementation of the final calming room (**Figure 4**) was within a limited budget of \$4975. A large bean bag chair and four cubbies filled with *Building Community and Fostering Health and Well-Being through a Collaborative School Based… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97525*

#### **Figure 1.**

*Bruce Vento School Exterior and former Calming Room Interior Condition (Source: Pictures by Author 1).*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Design proposal by student team to allow children experience their personal adventure (Source: Emily Devore, James Thoma, and Hailey Wrasman, Spring 2015 IDES 2604 Interior Design IV course).*

soft pillows were incorporated in the space to help students relax and regulate their emotions. The cubies provided a crawl and snug space for students. Nature inspired imagery were placed on the wall since the space lacked direct sunlight to provide connection to the natural environment. Cloud ceiling panels were used to soften the harsh fluorescent lighting and the huge rug softened the space and provided connection to nature. The wall labyrinth mural, blues, greens and earth tones colors in the space were used to create a soothing atmosphere for the students. A dark blue color accent on the upper portion of the wall was used to reduce the impact of the high ceiling and make the anthropometric proportion and height of the room more relatable for the students. The simplicity in the new space was to avoid over stimulating the students and help them relax and self-regulate.

#### **Figure 3.**

*Design proposal by the student team proposed the space to be a haven for students and enable them to release their anger quickly, efficiently, and safely. Light and dark blues with small amounts of light pink and dull yellow were used to create a tranquil environment. Curved lines were repeated throughout the space to imitate the soft curves of waves and clouds (Source: Rachel Grothe and Hannah Segar, Spring 2015 IDES 2604 Interior Design IV course).*

### **2.2 Evaluation**

To study the impact of the redesigned calming room, interviews were conducted with teachers and staff in fall 2016 (n = 20). 11 participants reported being teachers, 5 were behavioral staff (e.g., school social workers), and 4 were other school staff. In the first part of the interview, two interviewers asked teachers and staff to reflect on the impact that the calming room had on students and the school environment. In a second part of the interview, teachers and staff were asked about the impact of other aspects of the partnership, though those results are not detailed here. Interviews were then transcribed and coded for themes.

*Building Community and Fostering Health and Well-Being through a Collaborative School Based… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97525*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Finalized Calming Room Space from University of Minnesota Extension (Source: https://bventoumn.wixsite. com/bvento/calmingroom).*

Seven themes were identified as follow (1) teachers and staff play a role in helping students calm down, (2) that the use of the calming room supports students in getting back to class sooner, (3) that the calming room has improved the school environment, (4) that students ask to visit the calming room, (5) that the calming room has improved students' self-regulation, (6) that the calming room has increased physical safety, and (7) the importance of simplicity in the calming room design.

#### *2.2.1 Theme 1: Staff help calm*

The most prevalent theme (81% of interviews) mentioned in teacher and staff interviews reflected the importance of staff when using the calming room. Even though the calming room was designed with features that promote self-regulation in students, the staff are also an important component to the success of the room:

*"It gets them back on task again. When they're ready, we can tell and then the students [are] able to talk, you know, we can... process with them a little bit and see what's going on. By the time they go back to the classroom, they're ready."*

The school staff are also important supports that help students stay calm outside of the calming room:

*"The social workers in our building have been training the entire staff on trauma and how that affects students and what can help students... to self- regulate when they're in the classroom and try and catch on before it escalates."*

Staff also play a role in helping students see and realize that the calming room is a safe space for them – not a place where they are being sent as a punishment:

*"When they walk into the room, they think they're being isolated… [I say] 'This is just to reset you, to get you back on track.' So in the beginning, you have to explain* 

*to them, 'No, this is not a punishment, this is not a secluded room for you, this is a room that's supposed to be soothing and getting you to know what you're supposed to be doing, getting you back on track."*

These examples provide evidence to the value added by teachers and staff both in the calming room itself and in supporting students' emotion regulation.

#### *2.2.2 Theme 2: Back to class*

Another key theme (69% of the interviews) uncovered in the data was that due to the implementation of the calming room, students are returning back to class sooner and more regulated than they did before the calming room was re-designed. One staff member described:

*"I think it can help kids get back to class faster... whereas before…they did not have that place."*

This outcome is particularly important – if the use of the calming room is leading students to return to the classroom more quickly than before, then they are losing out on less classroom time and can spend more time learning. Students are returning to class more focused and more regulated after having used the calming room:

*"Once we leave [the calming room], they're more engaged when they go back to the classroom. I think they're more engaged then when they first come into the building in the morning."*

This has also had an impact for students who do not spend time in the calming room, in that their classmates who do use it are returning to class more calm and are less distracting:

*"It not only helps them, but it also helps the rest of the class so the learning can continue for the other 27 students while that student is calming themselves down, and they come back a lot calmer. ... It's been a lot better than trying to deal with it all in the classroom."*

#### *2.2.3 Theme 3: Improved school environment*

The calming room has also benefited the overall school environment (69% of the interviews). Teachers and staff across all types of backgrounds and experiences commented on the reduction in "chaotic movement" in the school. A staff member who spends most time outside of the classrooms reported a notable change in the overall environment:

*"I know that before the calming room... [it] wasn't as great and it has improved. I can tell that the building is calmer in general."*

Another staff member said, "We don't have as many things being damaged since the room has come into play."

Due to the calming room, students are damaging less and not roaming the halls as much as they did in the past. One staff member even noted the calming effect that the room has had on staff:

*Building Community and Fostering Health and Well-Being through a Collaborative School Based… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97525*

*"I think it's also calming for the staff, I really do. To know that they've got a specifically designed place to take their students, that they're not going to be judged by administration. They're not going to be judged by other staff members... Sometimes if they are going to the library, or the family center it's like 'Oh, they are messing around.'... 'Are they just being allowed to do whatever they want?' But in the calming room, they're not judged there. You take your student there for a specific purpose and you're not judged, so I think it's good for the staff too."*
