Work is underway at Parkland Elementary School in Winkler to transform a computer lab into a grooming room.
    
The grooming room is for students who are in wheelchairs and includes an accessible bathroom and shower, as well as laundry facilities.

Principal Janice Krahn said the new amenities will not just create accessibility, but make the environment a lot more comfortable for the students. Krahn noted Parkland definitely has an education that is inclusive, however, this space will allow them to care for some the needs that can't be managed in the classroom.

A large swing hook has been installed on the ceiling of the sensory area

The new space will also have a sensory room for occupational and physiotherapy programming. Krahn said the sensory space will have programs for students who may feel under or over stimulated while in class. "That way they can go back to their class and feel comfortable with their day and be successful."

Krahn notes Parkland was the only school in the division without a dedicated space like this.  She said this now means that students who need these facilities can be at Parkland, rather than having to go to other schools, or staff having to find other ways around the lack of space.

"Our school is very full, so students that need special toileting, we've had them using the staff bathroom.  We also have a special physiotherapy bed called a plinth that has also had to find a place in the building. We have to make due with the space we have, so that's why this is so exciting.  We can move forward, and these students don't have to be in separate spaces everywhere else."

Work on the Grooming room began just over two weeks ago and should take a minimum of eight weeks to complete.

"We're very excited about this space, it meets the needs of so many students," said Krahn. "I think that's the most important thing to remember, we have to meet the needs of our students and we want them to be successful.  And this is going to do that."

The project is being done at a cost of around $150,000.  While a portion of the sensory room is being covered by the Garden Valley School Division, most of the cost is being covered by the Public School's Finance Board.