Program at Metro Detroit school district helps students facing traumas at home

Resilient Schools Project introduced in Lincoln Park

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. – Students face many problems outside of the classroom that can make learning difficult.

The Resilient Schools Project at Lincoln Park Public Schools aims to help children who are dealing with traumas at home, including abuse, neglect, domestic violence, divorce and drug and alcohol abuse.

"The overall goal of the resilience school program is to create an environment in our school district that is safe and calming to meet the needs to all of our kids," said Nicole Chubb, the executive director of special education.

Every classroom at Raupp Elementary School has a calm down corner and brain gyms in the halls show yoga poses to calm down and jumping jacks to boost energy.

There's also a regulation station in the hallway.

"We start with a lot of movement, like the jumping. But we implement deep pressure to the muscles because we know that calms most kids," said Kim Wagner, an occupational therapist. "So, with the wall pushes and walking like the  animals. If you stand like a penguin and walk you can feel all of the pressure in your legs and in your chest, which is very calming for most kids."

Learn more about the program in the video above.


About the Authors:

You can watch Kimberly Gill weekdays anchoring Local 4 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and streaming live at 10 p.m. on Local 4+. She's an award-winning journalist who finally called Detroit home in 2014. Kim has won Regional Emmy Awards, and was part of the team that won the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2022.