Educational Dealer March 2023

CERTWOODUSA

Storage must be durable, purposeful, agile and most impo rtantly needs to be segregated or isolated.

This "Design Lab" is successful in maintaining heightened agility because every resource is managed in one systematic location. Labeled resources are organized in various heights, depths and widths.

Certwood's StorSystem™ solutions are intentionally positioned at the centralized core of this mobile lab as resources are selected, transferred, utilized only to be repositioned at the end of class.

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Certwood USA

Ohio Distribution Center

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Wintersville, OH 43952

Office: 740 314 5874

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Office: +44 (0) 1582 456 955

Dust in the Wind

by Kevin Fahy

As you grow older, you become more conscious of the passage of time. It’s not that young people are unaware of it, but other matters are more pressing. The pursuit of love and money tends to take precedence, and if years go by in the process, then they do.

At a certain age, though, the concept becomes less theoretical and more demonstrable. Health issues multiply, usually accompanied by a variety of prescriptions, and capabilities gradually diminish. All that applies, of course, only to those who are fortunate enough to survive into their seniority.

When I was younger, I often wondered how my parents felt as their siblings and old friends passed away. I never asked them and they never really brought it up, but then that wasn’t very surprising. Their generation was not exactly given to complaining.

Now I’m in their place, and I think I understand how they must have felt. It’s a matter of perspective. Love and money do not lose their importance, but they become more relative to time. As the rock band Kansas put it, “All your money won’t another minute buy.”

Everyone can understand why time is precious to older people, but we don’t always get that it is also critically important to kids. They seem to have so much of it, you might think they could lose a couple years without doing any lasting damage. Not so.

On Jan. 30 of this year, The New York Times published an article entitled, “Students Lost One-Third of a School Year to Pandemic, Study Finds.” The study in question, published a few days earlier by the Center for Research on Social Inequalities in Paris, states that the losses have not been recovered more than two years after schools re-opened. It does not appear that the efforts to conduct “distance learning” succeeded

in preventing this gap, at least among disadvantaged students and those growing up in developing nations.

In general, people who study educational trends are convinced that just getting schools back to normal is not going to solve the problem of the missing semester. Thomas Kane of Harvard says that absent some sort of aggressive intervention, “learning loss will be the longest lasting and most inequitable legacy of the pandemic.”

The study, which combined the findings of 42 previous studies from 15 different nations around the world, concluded that the loss amounted to about 35 percent of a school year, and remained very stable in the following years. Losses were greater in math than in reading, and among poorer rather than more affluent students. It is thought that poorer students generally had spottier internet connections, less optimal study spaces and less access to materials and equipment.

It also found that learning losses were consistent across grade levels, and were often accompanied by a decline in socialization skills. Upon returning to schools, teenagers were much more likely to develop anxiety disorders than they had been in the past.

In spite of the wealth of data backing up these assertions, they do not necessarily square with the perceptions of parents. Surveys conducted last year indicate that nearly half of them do not believe that their children suffered any loss of learning at all. Only 9 percent said they were concerned about their kids catching up with their grade level.

I don’t know which parents fall into which income groups, but if the more affluent ones are also the ones that feel more confident about their children s progress, they may be correct. In the

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United States, even in school districts that were shut down for an entire year, poorer schools lost twice as much academic progress as richer ones.

Internationally, results have been similar. Low-income countries were excluded due to a lack of data, but upperincome nations such as Australia had lower losses than middle-income nations such as Mexico and South Africa. In Scandinavia, Sweden never closed schools and, as you would expect, suffered no loss of academic progress, but other nations did quite well also. High income and high welfare levels may have contributed to their relative success.

Like most Americans, however, I tend to be a little self-absorbed and more interested in our own problems than everyone else’s. That’s why a piece by the columnist David Brooks caught my attention in mid-February. It was entitled, “America Should Be in the Middle of a Schools Revolution.”

In the column, Brooks described five problems in

American education that had been caused, or exacerbated, by the pandemic. First was shrinking enrollments. In the 202021 school year, enrollment fell by 1.1 million, and dropped another 130,000 the following year. Research indicates that 26 percent of the drop was caused by students switching to home schooling and 14 percent by switching to private schools. The rest is uncategorized, but includes truancy, unregistered homeschooling and a decline in the school-age population. As a whole, it will translate into a decrease in public school funding.

Second is academic regression. Math scores on standardized tests had gradually risen since the 1970s, but 20 years’ worth of gains were erased by the shutdown. That by itself could result in the loss of almost a trillion dollars in future wages.

Next is rising absenteeism. Bad habits are hard to break, and millions of kids simply became accustomed to attendance not being required. In 2022, for example, 41 percent of public school students in New York City were chronically absent.

Number four is worsening discipline problems. A vast majority of public schools report that discipline issues were

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In the United States, even in school districts that were shut down for an entire year, poorer schools lost twice as much academic progress as richer ones.

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made much worse by the pandemic, with increased violence among students and aggravated social and emotional problems.

Finally, there is surging inequality. Polarization was going on long before the pandemic, with a growing gap between high-scoring and low-scoring students, but it has grown more dramatic.

These are serious problems, folks, but I’m not hearing much discussion among our elected officials about finding solutions. Instead we get debates about cultural issues such as gender identity or historical significance. I’m not suggesting those debates are unimportant, but it’s like having someone in the emergency room with a broken leg who also has tooth decay. Let’s fix the leg firs

But how do we go about it? David Brooks’ five problems are all interrelated; shrinking enrollments, absenteeism, discipline problems and inequity all contribute to academic regression. Each problem deserves its own intervention. To address content and instructional practice, I asked my wife, Karen, who is a school administration consultant, to put it as simply as possible.

“To close gaps and accelerate learning,” she replied, “all students should receive grade level core instruction (with appropriate scaffolds) and be engaged in grade level complex texts and tasks. Standards-based common assessments will reveal the students who have mastered the standards, students who are approaching them and students who require academic intervention. A personalized learning plan should be created that will provide students with the learning experiences they need to become successful.”

In other words, it’s not rocket science. It’s just teaching and learning, but we’re on the clock, and time waits for no one.

You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is not a new teaching approach – the leading national organization Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), has been around since 1994. The scholars who founded it came from multiple fields including emotional intelligence, child development, prevention science, bullying prevention

SEL Grows as a Hot Topic in Schools

by Tina Manzer

and public health to identify the key skills and competencies students need to be successful in school and in life.

Since 2013, all 50 states have had standards for teaching SEL in preschools, and more than half have had standards for kindergarten through 12th grade.

But if SEL sounds new to you, you might recognize it by

another name. Over the years it has been known as character education, 21st-century skills, noncognitive skills and – in the business world – soft skills.

No matter what the concept is called, SEL is a hot topic right now. School districts across the country are opening SEL offices, they’re hiring SE coaches and SEL is being incorporated into teacher preparation programs. CASEL, whose mission is to make evidence-based SEL an integral part of education from preschool through high school, reports that multiple national and state initiatives have been developed to support SEL.

Healthline, a news website that covers physical and mental wellness, noted that “schools have always taken on responsibilities that go beyond teaching history, English or

math. They are an important part of the communities they serve and an integral part of the lives of the students they teach. That’s part of why schools have historically taught kids everyday life skills alongside important academic skills.”

What life skills, specifically?

SEL focuses on what kids need to both understand themselves and communicate well with others. Among those skills are

• self-awareness;

• social awareness;

• emotion management;

• building constructive relationships and

• responsible decision making.

Some of the benefits of honing those skills include increased empathy and improvements in problem-solving and communications skills, improved relationships with friends and family and better self-control. Combined, these skills help students to increase achievement and develop workplace readiness skills.

“So often, social and emotional learning gets put on the back burner while other important skills like reading, writing, math, history and science are taught,” wrote Kristina

Scully, a special educator turned curriculum specialist, on her website thepathway2success.com. “While these skills are certainly important, I would argue that it’s even more important that kids develop their emotional intelligence through social emotional learning activities. Simply put, if kids are mentally and emotionally healthy, they are better equipped to face the challenges life brings.”

She offered teachers a wealth of different ideas for easily integrating SEL instruction and activities into what they are already teaching during the school day. Her suggestions included daily journal writing with prompts like, “Name a time you used self-control. What was the outcome?”; using readalouds with discussions about how the characters think and feel; giving kids responsibilities and jobs to help build their sense of self-worth; and helping kids learn breathing strategies, how to focus on just one thing at a time and relaxing their bodies to teach mindfulness.

Instructional materials and toy manufacturers provide a wide variety of tools that help teach SEL. Scholastic offers the new “Sticky Situation” card sets that provide discussion prompts, and a line of storybooks with titles like The Way I Feel, Too Loud Lilly and It’s Okay to Make Mistakes. Creative Teaching Press offers motivational posters with themes that include “Everyone Is Welcome,” “Be Kind and Be A Friend,” and “Think Before You Speak.” Wikki Stix, as a craft activity, can be used to express emotions nonverbally and PlayMonster just introduced the new, licensed Playskool Glo Friends line of toys. PlayMonster research indicates that parents are actively looking for toys that teach SEL.

SEL’s role at this moment

The pandemic was a major stressor for people around the world, but children were impacted the most, noted Healthline. Without school, they lost structure, daily peer interaction, group athletics and group music and art activities – all keys to alleviating stress.

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Grows as a Hot Topic in Schools

In addition, some kids were isolated in unsafe and unstable homes and could not escape to the safety of school, and others who relied on free school lunch programs faced increased food insecurity.

Children were also stressed by the virus itself, said Healthline. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 140,000 children in the U.S. had lost a parent, grandparent or caregiver to death from COVID-19 as of June 2021. In October that year, a national state of emergency was declared in child and adolescent mental health by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association. The three groups pointed to the additional stressors of mass violence, natural disasters, climate change and political polarization, said Healthline.

Today, even as political activists make SEL the latest target in the education “culture wars,” parents overwhelmingly support teaching it in schools, said the National Education Association (NEA) in January. It sited key findings from a poll released by the Committee for Children last May. They revealed that among the 54 percent of parents who believe SEL is being taught at their child’s school, 52 percent think schools should continue teaching SEL and nearly 30 percent want schools to do more with SEL. Among parents who didn’t think SEL was being taught at their children’s schools or were unsure, 86 percent would support the school teaching SEL.

Finally, more than 75 percent of parents said that the reason they support SEL is because they see how teaching SEL creates a positive classroom environment where children learn the skills they need to succeed – in school and for their future.

“We know that families already play a huge role in developing these competencies, but their kids spend a lot of time in schools,” Tia Kim from the Committee for Children told the NEA. “It’s just an extension of that learning.”

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Tickled Pink

Colorful New Products Are a Hit with Teacher Stores

AtWe Connect last November, buyers from stores that sell instructional materials voted on their favorite new products presented during the show. Here are their top three picks.

Each year, Catalog Solutions hosts the We Connect conference in Orlando for its retail customers and instructional materials vendors. Ths year’s event featured more than 45 exhibitors of creative classroom decor, learning tools and teacher resources.

Crayon Go-Arounds from Eureka received second place. Go-Arounds are a fun way to decorate around doors, windows, chalkboards and more. The set includes six two-piece crayons (orange, purple, red, yellow, green and blue) that are adjustable.

Teacher Created Resources’ Peel & Stick Decor Paper won firs place. The paper comes in a variety of patterns including wildflowers, clouds, plants wood and brick. With a grid printed on the backing paper and the ability to work on almost any clean, dry and smooth surface, the decor paper is an easy and helpful method to upgrade desks, shelves, drawers and more.

Primary Concepts took third place with its new and improved Sensory Disc. The discs offer tactile and visual sensory experiences for early learners as well as those with special needs. Variations include discs covered in sequins or shag noodles and discs filled wit water and non-toxic gel beads or small hard beads and letters.

A Love of Learning

The School Box seeks to instill lifelong

by Victoria Ritter

WhenChristine Persson started her teaching career 35 years ago in Georgia, she had to make her own learning games and hands-on teaching tools because she couldn’t find an materials readily available. To fill tha void, she founded The School Box in Marietta, Georgia in 1990. The shop provides “expertise and unique products to help young minds grow.” Her goal was to help teachers and parents become passionate about instilling a love of learning in children.

Today The School Box includes three retail locations, a catalog and two websites (schoolbox.com and schoolboxkits.com). It has been voted “Best Educational Store” by Marietta’s Cobb Life Magazine for four years running.

Tapping into the Market

The business expanded over the decades. At one point it operated 17 brick-and-mortar storefronts – most located around the metro Atlanta area, one in Tennessee, another in Virginia –and a mobile store that drove to rural schools. Most of those stores closed over the past decade; during the COVID-19 pandemic, four more of its locations closed as its web business saw

lessons in a fun way

Kids of all ages have the chance to play with products at The School Box’s three stores.

“a big increase,” according to Persson.

“As the retail landscape has changed and more of our customers are shopping online, we have had to pivot our business and put a good bit of energy into our website,” Persson said. “We have kept our strongest stores and they are showing an increase in sales over last year.”

While many of The School Box’s customers enjoy holding and interacting with products before they make a purchase, the business’ online traffic i growing. Persson has seen online orders come in from customers across the country, from California to New York. She feels “grateful and blessed” to see the benefit of a website and to have the abilit to reach a variety of customers.

Trends in educational materials have been “all over the place,” according to Persson, but there are a couple that remain constant. One is the desire among teachers to create thematic classrooms via decorative items. Another popular approach among both teachers and parents is hands-on learning and physical teaching tools, or “manipulatives.”

“They want their kids off the computer,” Persson said.

Through it all, Persson attributes The School Box’s longevity to her team, which

she views as its most important asset. “Engaged and happy employees take good care of customers,” she said. “We have an incredible team and we are here because of them. I have a vision and real passion around what we are doing and that has greatly contributed to our success.”

She and her team generate ideas for their inventory by listening to customers, networking with their sales reps and other businesses and attending trade shows including WeConnect, Toy Fair New York and ASTRA Marketplace.

Best Performers

The School Box’s three stores are situated around the Atlanta, Georgia area in Tucker, Morrow and Kennesaw, with about half an hour between them. On average, each store is about 5,000 square feet. Of the 17, they were the best performing in terms of sales and customer count and have been in business for more than 28 years.

“I love the diversity of the communities we reach,” Persson said. “I have learned it doesn’t matter a person’s ethnicity and socio-economic status; we all care about our children’s education and want the best for our kids and students.”

The School Box offrs kids the ability to try out new and favorite products during its Toy Testing Day.

By hosting local authors and book signing events, The School Box has become a valuable resource to teachers and parents.

A Love of Learning

The three locations carry the same mix of products, just in different quantities. “Our Morrow store sells three times the Black History products than our Kennesaw store,” Persson elaborated. “One of our stores sees a lot more preschool directors than another and will sell more early childhood products.”

The School Box carries brands including Carson Dellosa Education, Crayola, Creative Teaching Press, Fat Brain Toys, Joy Carpets, Pacon, Schoolgirl Style, Teacher Created Resources, ThinkFun, Trend Enterprises, Wood Designs, Charles Leonard Inc., and Do-A-Dot Art. Spectrum and EvanMoor Educational Publishers are its top-selling workbooks. Another popular brand is Better than Paper from Teacher Creative Resources – a write on, wipe off bulletin board material which appeals to teachers, businesses, colleges and schools.

The business carries approximately 7,000 SKUs on a regular basis, increasing to 8,000 during the back-to-school season. In addition, the 40-member staff – encompassing store and warehouse employees – doubles from June to August.

A central warehouse in Marietta, Georgia, supplies each of the stores and fulfills internet orders.A driver makes trips to the three stores and also delivers for free to schools and businesses within a 30-mile radius of the warehouse. In addition to the warehouse, The School Box utilizes Educators Resource to ship items that it doesn’t carry in the warehouse. There are plans to start shipping some online orders from the Tucker store in the near future. “With three locations (School Box Warehouse, Educators Warehouse, Tucker store) shipping our internet orders, we will get our customers their orders much faster,” Persson said.

Fostering Learning Through Play

Kids and adults alike can do more than just shop at The School Box, as they are encouraged to explore through playful learning. Though open play causes messes and the occasional damaged demo, the benefits outweigh the inconveniences

“We want the kids to play and learn and bring that learning to life!” Persson said. “Over time, our staff has seen the benefit o playing with our toys and games and it definitely contributes t a better customer experience and greater sales.”

The School Box hosts special events to foster a fun learning environment. Toy Testing Days provide an opportunity for youngsters to play with favorite products while parents receive discounts. During monthly STEM Saturdays, kids can participate in free STEM activities including making slime and creating paper circuits. “We want our stores to be a learning playground for kids and adults too,” Persson said. “We have Toy Testing events and STEM Saturdays because we want you to have fun while learning. Our goal is to bring learning to life through these exciting events.

“In addition to those events, we like to bring in local authors and have book signing events. The workshops we offer on occasion set us apart as not only an educational store but an educational resource for parents and teachers.”

Reinvesting in the Community

A part of The School Box’s outreach includes its School Box Kits division, where the business partners with schools to provide specialized supply packs based on teachers’ and students’ needs. Items may include writing utensils, notebooks, scissors and rulers, among other items. The kits are then delivered to the school while a percentage of the kit’s price is donated to the school’s PTA.

Persson began School Box Kits fiv years ago and it continues to grow. “We sell thousands of them each summer,” Persson said.

While the majority of The School Box’s customers are parents and teachers, it caters to preschools, local businesses and assisted living communities which buy decorative items. It also works with nonprofits including the Boys & Girl Club and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and has donated gift cards to educational organizations.

“Investing in our community is a great way to give back to those who have helped support our business,” Persson said. “We have built relationships in our community that have brought business our way.”

Christine Persson with a favorite product.

Brand NEW for

2023

Accu-Glide One-Man Squeegee Unit from AWT World Trade is an inexpensive, high-quality solution for screen printing limited editions and short runs. Pair it with Rack-It Heavy-Duty Drying and Storage Rack. ■ The 5200 Electronic Lock Series from Zephyr Lock complements a wide range of applications. With RFID and a 10-digit keypad, it achieves the highest level of security and meets ADA guidelines. ■ Room Dividers from Screenflex can b set up in seconds, creating division in the classroom. Make more efficient use of floor space in an attractive, economical fashi.

■ The 360 Stealth Desk from USACapitol is available in hard plastic or laminate with spray edge. It offers a spacious top and can be used in collaborative or individual work. ■ Glass Rite Wall Markerboard panels from Aarco Products are the perfect solution for wall-to-wall boards with a decorative appearance. It’s designed and built to transition markerboard panels effortlessly. ■ Toddler Mini See-Thru Book Browser from Jonti-Craft holds books or toys at just the right size for little ones. See-through panels on both sides provide visibility of contents. ■ Curiosity Garden Twinkle Hedge Border from Eureka/CSS Industries adds a little twinkle to classroom displays. Includes 12 strips and a total of 37 feet of trim.

■ Busy Bees Bee Positive Mini Bulletin Board from Creative Teaching Press contains affirmations to help learners be successul, happy and kind. Includes 13 pieces ranging from 4.87 to 21 inches.

■ Vanity Case from Romanoff provides a home for tiny toys, makeup and arts and crafts supplies. Comes in “clear”, plus turquoise with lime accents and hot pink with purple accents. ■ Dry Erase Laminates from Marco Group provides colorful, versatile dry-erase table surfaces to share ideas, visualize concepts, take notes in real time or engage your mind while doodling.

Double Fence Easel from Childbrite hangs on a chain link fence, perfect for outdoor painting and creating. The easels are easy to hang and adjust, durable and weatherproof. ■ Wide Line Grid Dividers from Certwood allow for a wide range of custom partitioning to separate and manage products range. ■ Combo Bin Stationary Storage Unit from Jonti-Craft features multiple shelves and 12 clear bins which makes it perfect for storing a wide variety of items. ■ Body Fluid Solidifier Powder from Kore Design quickly absorbs and solidifies oganic fluids such as blood, urine, vomit and mucus Helps eliminate odor with added all-natural thyme oil. ■ The En Noir 120 Series Blackboard from Aarco Products is a historically inspired, modern day dry-erase board. Its white markers provide a visual contrast to the blackboard’s surface. ■ Crayola Colors & Shapes Bulletin Board Set from Eureka/CSS Industries helps students learn the basics of color recognition and hand-drawn basic shapes help with shape recognition. ■ The new self-sticking dry erase board from Miller Studio mounts just about anywhere: home, school, office, dorm, etc. ■ The 350 Aptitude Desk from USACapitol has adjustable legs and brace. This desk gives plenty of room for laptops and can be moved together for cooperative learning. ■ Toughook is the gold standard hook from the UK, now in the USA. Transform classrooms one hook at a time. Made from unbreakable plastic, they are guaranteed to last.

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MOD + Dry Erase Board from Time Timer combines the research-proven visual disk, in a fun new color, with a desktop-sized, magnetic dry erase board. ■ Busy Bees’ Bees Name Plates from Creative Teaching Press are a new addition, perfect to personalize student desks, cubbies, seats at the table, take-home bags, classroom cabinets, folders and more. ■ Zephyr Lock’s 5500 Club Series Push Button Lock is the perfect choice for shared-use settings such as locker rooms and schools, allowing visitors to choose their own combination. ■ The Floor Wobbler Balance Disc from Kore Design lets children sit in one spot, yet allows body movement that helps them focus. Ideal for classrooms requiring flexible seatig. ■ Multipurpose Ballistic Barriers from Screenflex provid additional safety precautions. These bullet-resistant portable walls offer dry-erase surfaces, making them exceptionally versatile as the ultimate classroom tool. ■ Toddler See-All from Childbrite is a toddler-friendly play table with a 4-inch-deep pan, perfect for imaginative play. Includes an optional drain to ensure easy clean up. ■ AWT World Trade is a trusted name in screen printing supplies for more than 30 years. It offers screen-making and safety products to fabrics and frames and hundreds of other items. ■ Sonik Conversation Station from Marco Group provides a comfy and durable seating space for studying or conversing with a friend or colleague. ■ Assure Chair from Bulldog Seating Company from Certwood provides commercial grade outdoor and indoor seating, UV protected, light and tested up to 400 pounds.

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Unearthing Joy by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad from Scholastic is a follow-up to Cultivating Genius. Dr. Muhammad adds a fifth pursui – joy – to her groundbreaking instructional model. ■ Sensory Peanut Stability Ball from Bouncyband provides deep pressure applied when sitting, lying across or leaning on ball. Relieves anxiety and restlessness, improves concentration. ■ Magic Mounts removable bulletin board tape from Miller Studio is quick and easy. It securely holds trim, borders, cut-outs and art to most clean, smooth surfaces around the classroom. ■ Pro Artist Tape from Pro Tapes is a premium flatback paper tape. It can be used for colo coding and labeling and can be printed with flexo inks, markers pens and pencils. ■ Double-Sided Dry Erase Learning Mats from Flipside Products come in plain, blue and red lined, and XY axis – magnetic or nonmagnetic. Available in class packs of 12, 24 or 48. ■ U.S. Government four-poster set from North Star Teacher Resources covers the three branches of government and the checks/ balances set forth by the U.S. Constitution. ■ The full range of SIO-2 Clays from Sandtastik come in a variety of colors and styles. This natural clay, imported from Spain, is manufactured to high quality standards. ■ The Time Timer TWIST, now available in new and fun colors, uses the research-proven visual disk in a customizable digital format. ■ Paper Essentials from C-Line Products include one-, three- and five-subject notebooks, assorted composition books, ller paper and 3- by 5-inch index cards for back-to-school. ■ Blackjack Clay from ACTÍVA is a blend of several natural clays that produce a silky-smooth texture. Brown when wet, yet kiln-fires to a sof buff/ tan color.

NEW for 2023

Stickables from Flipside Products are self-sticking dry erase reusable notes. Just rinse and they become like new. Packs contain 12 reusable sticky notes and a marker. ■ World Governments and Economies eight-poster set from North Star Teacher Resources details the different types of governments and economies through unbiased information, real-world examples and economy pros/cons. ■ Boinks from Endless Possibilities are CPC approved, lead free, BPA free and come in assorted colors and patterns. Compress and launch to watch them fl. ■ MySELF Theme: I Can Manage Myself and Set Goals from Newmark Learning explores self-management and goal-setting skills. The six books feature diverse characters and relatable stories plus discussion prompts. ■ Dry Erase Dot Decals from C-Line Products create an instant learning space. They’re easy to apply, reposition and remove. Great for centers and individual learning. ■ Sensory Playtivity Sensory Discs from Primary Concepts is a series of five SKUs plus a bundle set. Primary Cocepts reduced case pack quantities, improved the quality and redesigned the packaging. ■ 50 Mini Play Paks from Wikki Stix are loved by teachers for classroom management, incentives and rainy-day recess. It’s hands-on, builds fine motor skills and engaging. ■ Mix and match Emotion Stampers from Learning Advantage to create a variety of emotions and characters. Explore mindfulness, feelings and empathy. Try them with the new 6-in-1 Skin Tone Stamp Pad. ■ Listen and Learn: Animals from Evan-Moor delights young children with early reading activities about animals. Every page includes an audio option so kids can listen to a read-aloud and learn.

Model ‘N Mold Sculpting Sand from Sandtastik allows children to create shapes only limited by their imagination – no water required. Intended for use indoors. ■ Pro Ultimate Masking Tape from Pro Tapes is a premium masking tape. Its translucent, flat and smooth backing make it ideal as a watercolor paint masing tape.

■ First Little Readers: Guided Reading Levels K & L from Scholastic jumpstarts children’s reading success with sets of irresistible storybooks. ■ Framed Indoor Sensory Dark Den from Bouncyband is a sturdy, ready-made safe sensory environment for classroom and home use. Perfect for children who need a distractionfree setting. ■ Junior String Art from Learning Advantage creates colorful shapes, patterns, faces, animals and more. Develop essential hand-eye coordination and pincer grip, which prepares young hands for writing and art. ■ Boinks Fidgets from Endless Possibilities are the original fidget to. Fidgety fingers slide the marble back and fort in the mesh to sooth anxiety and stress.

■ Sensational Classroom

Magnetic Spinners from Primary Concepts is a set of three 5-inch jumbo spinners. With strong magnetic bases, they’re perfect for magnetic white boards to create spinner games. ■ USA-themed Mini Play Paks from Wikki Stix includes 20 individual paks, each featuring a different U.S. landmark or area. It’s a fun way to introduce geography!

■ MySELF Theme: I Am a Responsible Community Member from Newmark Learning features six stories. The books focus on decision-making skills including thinking critically, helping the community and identifying solutions to social problems. ■ Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth from ACTÍVA is a premium plaster of Paris impregnated gauze bandage. Dip in water and enjoy a hard-wearing, paintable finish in 30 minutes

Take a Break

Sensory rooms provide safe escape

Every so often, a child may need time to decompress and rest from sensory stimulation, also known as a sensory break. Cleveland Clinic states that “sensory play plays an important role in a child’s development from birth to early childhood.” Sensational Brain, which provides online resources and support for therapists, teachers and parents, offers guidelines for regular sensory breaks. A 10-minute sensory break is recommended every hour for kindergarten and firs grade students, every 1-1/2 hours for

second- through fourth-graders, and every two hours for fifth graders and olde. One way to help provide sensory breaks is to have a designated sensory room.

According to National Autism Resources, sensory rooms “can promote self-organization, be a calming area, provide leisure, help with sensory integration or act as skill training centers. They also provide great inclusion spaces that all students can explore together.” A sensory space can be as big as a whole

room or as small as a designated area within a room, just as long as it provides a safe and stress-free environment.

Creating a sensory room can be as simple or intricate as a parent or educator wishes, depending on their budget and the needs of the child. Items can highlight different senses using toys and interactive materials.

Fidget toys include the Tangle Therapy line from Tangle, which is specially designed for hand therapy to combat minor stress relief and building fine motor skills. Fidgety fingers c slow down with Boinks Fidgets, a marble encompassed by a

tight tub of fabric, thus soothing anxiety and stress.

Crazy Aaron’s has a line of SCENTsory Putty. Made of non-toxic silicone, the moldable putty comes in a variety of scents, from Scoopberry (strawberry and vanilla) and Super Chill (sweet menthol) to Gumballer (bubble gum) and Gingersnapper (gingerbread).

Along with the five traditional sense of taste, touch, sound, sight and smell, sensory rooms incorporate vestibular (balance) and proprioceptive (orientation of the body in a space) senses. Several companies, including Primary Concepts, offer sensory discs covered or filled wit different materials that kids can observe and feel.

Possible furniture and décor include balancing furniture and weighted blankets. Brands such as Bouncyband and Kore Design provide balance discs, balance balls and sensory cushions for kids to sit on. Bouncyband also manufactures a Sensory Dark Den, providing a safe, secluded space within a classroom or home.

Training staff to manage a sensory room is essential to its success. According to National Autism Resources, personnel should be trained how to use the room and the equipment inside. “One of the most common mistakes is to go into a sensory room and turn on every piece of equipment,” it says on its website. “This can be very over stimulating for some. If used incorrectly, students can exhibit self-injurious or aggressive behavior. Remember the equipment is only as good as the person using it.”

Individuals who may benefit fro using sensory rooms are autistic students, those with vision or language difficulties learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, have experienced trauma and any student who needs a safe, quiet room to calm themselves. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 44 children have been identified with autism spectru disorder as of 2018. The CDC also found in a study from 2009-2017 that one in six children ages 3-17 were diagnosed with a developmental disability – including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivit

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disorder, blindness and cerebral palsy, among others – as reported by parents.

Using a sensory room has multiple immediate and long-term benefits for students For individuals who are overstimulated, a calming sensory room can help them calm down and destress. The space, which can be utilized by small groups of children, can promote socialization skills; as students interact with one another in a safe environment they may observe how their actions affect those around them. Furthermore, equipment in the room can help a student focus on the task at hand whether it’s maintaining their balance or playing with a toy.

Sensory rooms promote long-term skills, especially for students with autism. A May 2019 article by the American School for the Deaf lists several benefits including learnin how to appropriately respond to stimulation, enhance their learning and improve information retention and hone their fine and gross motor skills. “By providing a sense of calm an comfort, sensory rooms help children learn to self-regulate their

behaviors, which ultimately improves focus,”

The history of sensory rooms can be traced back to the 1970s when Dutch therapists Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul experimented in creating a multi-sensory environment. Today, sensory rooms are utilized in schools, hospitals and community centers and more. Recently, sensory rooms were unveiled at the new Kansas City International Airport terminal and Chase Center – home of the Golden State Warriors football team – in San Francisco, California.

Cobb County School District in Marietta, Georgia has no less than three sensory rooms in its elementary schools. The newest room, located in Rocky Mount Elementary

“The kids immediately light up when they come in here, and it really changes their state of mind,” said Dr. Cheri Vaniman, principal of Rocky Mount. “If they were frustrated at some point, they come in here, and it’s just that chance to just relax. They can work through the problem and are able to get back into class.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

The chair is available as an upholstered swivel seat or upholstered swivel seat with low back support; either form can go with an attached, ambidextrous tablet. Overall, the judges loved the versatility, numerous different configurations and creative use of design.

Illusions 2.0 Storage Collection from Fleetwood won second place. The collection is planned upfront and rolled into place. With shelves, file drawers, trays and more, it can be used by itself or with Designer 2.0 and Fleetwood tables. The judges appreciated the built-in look without the expense.

TacTiles from NorvaNivel took third place. The six sensory calming tiles – named Feelix, Grassi, Minki, Velli, Mopsi and Pixi – empower kids and help them to focus. The textures include fur, grass, dots, velvet and pile microfiber textures. The tiles can be used in-hand or mounted either in reach or underneath.

EDspaces held its 2023 conference Nov. 2-4, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. The event included tours, networking opportunities and informative sessions. On Nov. 2, EDspaces held its Product Innovation Awards. Below are the 2022 winners in the best-in-show, second and third places.

Plot Twist from OM Seating was named Best-in-Show

The Education Market Association welcomed its new leadership team on Feb. 1.

The team is led by Board Chair Mark Hubbard, who is the president of Paragon Furniture, Inc. and has been a member of EDmarket since 1985. As Chair, Hubbard’s

FootFidget® 2.0 for Classroom Desks Designed

priorities are to increase membership numbers and increase its recurring revenue streams.

The remaining Board of Directors is comprised of Chair-Elect Jolene Levin; First Vice-Chair Darlene Akers; Second Vice-Chair Deborah Kerr; Treasurer John Gardner; and Directors At-Large Robert Dickson, Jessica Morales and Steve Samikkannu. The Board oversees the programs and activities of all EDmarket committees and councils and make recommendations to the Executive Committee for future guidance to committee and council activities; additionally, they watch for new trends and developments and make suitable recommendations to the Executive Committee for future action.

The Education Partnership, a nonprofit oganization which provides school supplies to students and teachers in need, was recently named a 2023 Champion in Action. In recognition of their achievement, The Education Partnership received $35,000 from Citizens Bank and Trib Total Media; the organization will also receive media coverage and public service announcements from Trib Total Media.

“It’s a symbolic award in terms of being able to go out

and pursue millions of dollars of other product resources and other financial resources from those oganizations that believe in environmental sustainability and also believe in education. I think that’s the real home run,” said Josh Whiteside, executive director of The Education Partnership, in an interview with Trib Live.

The Education Partnership, headquartered in Pittsburgh, distributes $9 million worth of free supplies and resources annually to more than 63,000 students in Pennsylvania.

In January, Discovery Education was honored with four 2022 Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence for some products that were launched within the last couple years. The Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence honor exceptional products and services within education technology.

The organization’s Mystery Science and DoodleMath won the Primary category (for grades K-5). Mystery Science provides elementary school educators lessons to inspire a love of science by posing a question at the beginning of each lesson and exploring that question through interactive videos and discussion prompts. Doodle Math is an interactive math app for ages 4-14 that is designed to be used for 10 minutes a

day. It is available on tablets, phones, desktops and laptops.

Meanwhile, Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform and Pivot Interactives won the Secondary category (for grades 6-12). The learning platform provides high-quality content, including digital lessons, quiz and activity creation tools and learning resources, to educators. Pivot Interactives is one of Discovery Education’s newest offerings and offers more than 10,000 video-based science activities.

Illinois-based educational toy companies Learning Resources, Educational Insights and hand2mind donated more than $1.7 million to several charity organizations in 2022 in support of education in a variety of means.

Their 2022 endeavors included translating and distributing free educational sources to Ukrainian refugees –as well as raising $95,000 – donating curriculum resources and monetary donations to schools and communities that suffered from mass shootings, donating PPE and classroom supplies to national kids campaigns during the holiday season and volunteering with Chicago- and Los Angeles-based organizations.

The trio of companies have supported more than 35 charities and donated millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations and schools nationwide.

Wood Designs is pleased to announce the promotion of Sarah Hoefke to vice president of sales. Hoefke has led by example in her work ethic and genuine care for customers since joining Wood Designs six years ago as part of the customer service team. Always ready to go the extra mile, she is an integral part of the company, receiving numerous commendations from both customers and her fellow team members.

CSI Connect Marketing Inc. in Orange City, Florida, has named Tonya Flaherty director of the Toy Collection Brand. Flaherty has worked in the toy industry for more than 27 years. CSI Connect Marketing provides marketing materials, tradeshows, websites, email marketing and more in both print and digital formats.

Flaherty can be reached at tonya@toycollection.com or by calling 386-775-1070 ext. 225.

Screen printing is the most popular applied arts subject because it offers students hands-on instruction and the experience of creating their own artwork.

One-Man Squeegee Unit is ideal for schools and built to last generations. Combine it with a Rack-It™ Drying and Storage Rack and go to the head of the class.

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Creating colorful classrooms

Toughook provides vibrant array of hooks

by Victoria Ritter

Havingvibrant hues in educational spaces is not only aesthetically pleasing, but can also impact the behaviors of students. Nichiha USA, which specializes in new school builds and renovations, observed how a bold use of color in educational spaces “encourages action and stimulates students throughout the entire school day,” as well as aids in socialization and helps students to focus. While warm colors can increase alertness and encourage creativity, cool colors inspire calmness and neutral colors can help individuals focus.

Enter Toughook, which produces strong, safe hanging hooks in a myriad of colors. Tony Hopkinson officially establishe Toughook in 2012 in Lancashire, England; all of its products are designed and manufactured in Great Britain. In 2018, entrepreneur Eli Cohen created a sister company, Toughook USA, based in Caldwell, N.J. Now Cohen is the executive director of growth and development for Toughook USA.

Toughook recently exhibited at the EDspaces tradeshow in November where it received interest from manufacturers, school districts and interior design companies; it plans to attend the 2023 show. Cohen reported that two school districts in Oregon and California have made Toughook products a standard and that there are over 200,000 Toughook products in circulation in the U.S. Products are available for wholesale purchase through Toughook’s U.S. and U.K. websites, where orders can be customized. Cohen cautioned customers against purchasing Toughooks through unauthorized sellers.

Toughook’s four sizes of coat hooks – Mini, One, Original and XL – are the core of the business. The coat hooks range in size from 0.6 to 0.75 inches in width, 2.2 to 5.4 inches in height and 1.25 to 1.5 inches in depth. The company also provides coat rails with the hooks already mounted on boards as well as robe hooks. Cohen said the most popular model in the U.S. is the Toughook XL while the Toughook Original is most popular in the U.K. He believes the XL model is more popular in the U.S. due to having a large, identifiable hook

Toughook products have three main selling points: customizability, durability and safety. Toughook’s products are fully customizable, with the main four hook sizes available in 20 colors. Hues range from shades of black, grey and white and earthy tones to all colors of the rainbow. With such a vast range, customers have the option to order hooks with their school colors or assign a specific color to a student

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,

that they can cause sore backs. School hooks need to be durable enough to support the weight.

Toughooks’ durability is due to the industrial-strength nylon used in their construction. According to Cohen, the hooks’ breaking point is more than 100 pounds. Additionally, Toughooks’ construction is efficient and environmentall responsible, with any waste materials re-used for other products. Every Toughook is guaranteed unbreakable for life, further reducing waste.

The hooks’ emphasis on safety comes into play in its design. The hooks can come with one or two hooks, each with rounded edges and are “engineered with a unique flat-curve profile prevent eye-level injuries,” according to its website.

“The beauty of it is that it sells itself. There’s not much explaining that needs to be done,” Cohen said. “The best selling point is that the schools that already have the hooks highly recommend them and usually end up telling their friends.”

To help kids find their assigned hooks, Toughook is developing an add-on that allows a headshot of the student –about the size of a passport photo – to be posted next to the hook. Cohen hopes to have the product out by the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.

Toughook is working on establishing itself and growing, getting its name out in the market and making sales to manufacturers and schools. In addition to schools, correctional facilities have expressed interest in Toughook’s products. Toughook’s black and white shades are ideal for office settings Cohen said he has seen customers use Toughooks to store musical instruments and knows of a gym that installed them to hold lacrosse equipment. “The hooks have been available to the U.S. via (international express service provider) DHL for several years already,” Cohen said. “There are so many places that it could be used in that we don’t know about.”

To learn more about Toughook’s offerings in the U.S., visit toughook.com or email info@toughookusa.com.