The Western Wayne School District is excited to announce the opening of Western Wayne High School’s Wildcat Den. The Wildcat Den will be available to students in need of a safe space to de-escalate, de-stress, and re-set. Initially, the Wildcat Den will be open and staffed during the lunch periods. It is our vision that teachers will reserve the space for their classes on occasion. In addition, any student wishing to utilize the space can talk to their school counselor.
“The Wildcat Den offers multiple stations designated to calm the sensory system,” Rachael Palko, high school guidance counselor, explained. “There is a station for auditory, tactical, visual, olfactory, vestibular, and proprioceptive. Examples of some tools in the space include: a weighted lap pad, balance pods, comfortable seating, elliptical training machine, fidget tools, games, music, and many other wonderful resources.”
The Wildcat Den is sponsored through Western Wayne School District and developed by the High School Counseling Department in conjunction with Dr. Katie Shemanski – Moro.