Motor Sensory Labs
Over the years at ANIJA School, student care has strengthened into a holistic network of wraparound supports designed to meet the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each child.
This system operates on three tiers: classroom teachers receiving coaching to enhance instruction, one-on-one tutoring for personalized growth, and individual education plans (IEPs) for children with more complex needs. Together, these services form a unified plan that ensures each child is given exactly what they need to thrive.
The Motor and Sensory Labs are a central feature of this approach.
Gross Motor Lab
The Gross Motor Lab, led by the school’s P.E. teachers, serves all students in grades 1–6. In small groups, children rotate through movement stations—balancing on beams, hopping in patterns, lifting weighted bottles, stretching, or climbing risers. These exercises build balance, coordination, strength, and focus.
Motor Sensory Lab
The Sensory Motor Lab, overseen by staff member Kenia, serves students in kindergarten through grade 2. Whole classes come once a week for 30-minute sessions, while small groups and one-on-one sessions support children with higher sensory needs.
Activities strengthen fine motor skills and provide sensory input—beading, block-building, lacing, picking up objects with tongs, or rocking and swinging to regulate their bodies.
Both labs are also included in student IEPs, making them vital tools for students with special learning needs.
One fourth grader commented that he could see his physical improvement after being in the motor lab consistently. As a soccer player, he commented that his reflexes had improved and he was becoming a better plater. That same student, once unable to recite multiplication facts, can now proudly recite times tables up to 10.
The motor and sensory labs fit into ANIJA’s broader model of holistic care. Classroom assistants support children with significant needs, the Morning Brain Games program boosts focus at the start of the day, trauma-informed staff guide students through relational and behavioral challenges, and the school’s social worker helps families with essentials like food, housing, and parenting skills.
At ANIJA, transformation is never the result of a single program but of a woven web of support. Teachers, tutors, specialists, and families work together to create a safe and hopeful environment where students flourish—growing in academics, character, and joy.