Case study · Kissimmee, Florida
A calm corner in every classroom at Partin Settlement Elementary.
Partin Settlement Elementary, a Title I school in Osceola County, Florida, won our $15,000 Calm Corner Kit Grant. Every teacher received a calm corner kit and hands-on professional development to use it.
How it happened
One grant, a kit in every classroom, and a training built for the adults as much as the students.
- $15,000 Calm Corner Kit Grant from Calm Caterpillar
- Every classroom Received a calm corner kit
- Every teacher Received hands-on professional development
- Title I Elementary school in Kissimmee, Florida
The school
“Every Day is Day One!”
Partin Settlement Elementary is part of the School District of Osceola County in Kissimmee, Florida. Its students are the Pioneers, and as a PBIS school it builds everything around three values: respectful, responsible, and positive problem solvers.
As a Title I school, it meets a wide range of emotional and social needs every day. Its teachers wanted practical ways to help students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
The grant
$15,000 for calm corners
Partin Settlement won Calm Caterpillar’s $15,000 Calm Corner Kit Grant. The grant put a calm corner kit in every classroom, so every teacher has hands-on tools for the moments when a student’s body needs help before their mind can focus.
The training
Training for the whole staff
In October 2026 the Calm Caterpillar team visited Partin Settlement to train the staff. The session showed how short, intentional moments of regulation fit into routines teachers already have, like lining up to and from class, without giving up instructional time.
The idea that stuck was Maslow before Bloom: students need to feel safe, regulated, and supported before they can learn.
The idea that stuck
Maslow before Bloom.
Bloom’s taxonomy maps how students learn. Maslow’s hierarchy is a reminder of what has to come first. A calm corner builds from the bottom of the stack up.
“The presentation truly emphasized Maslow before Bloom—highlighting that before students can learn, they need to feel safe, regulated, and supported. Honestly, some of us adults needed to hear that message, too.”
- SafeA predictable place to go when feelings get big.
- RegulatedTools for the body first: breathe, squeeze, hold.
- SupportedAdults who know what to do, trained together.
- Ready to learnThen the lesson has room to land.
In their words
What Partin’s teachers said
Written by teachers at Partin Settlement Elementary after the training, quoted exactly as written.
“Receiving the $15,000 grant from The Calm Caterpillar was an unexpected and deeply appreciated surprise for our Title I school. However, the true value of this grant extends far beyond its financial contribution.”
“The Calm Caterpillar has truly elevated the way our school approaches emotional regulation. Winning the $15,000 grant allowed every teacher to receive a calming kit and meaningful professional development that we can immediately bring into our classrooms and school community.”
“Rather than adding another responsibility to already demanding schedules, the training demonstrated how simple, intentional moments of emotional regulation can be seamlessly incorporated into daily classroom routines without sacrificing valuable instructional time.”
“What made the training especially impactful was its recognition that supporting students’ emotional health also means supporting the teachers who care for them every day. Teachers felt seen, understood, and empowered.”
“This grant has given us more than materials; it has given us meaningful tools to help nurture the whole child, one classroom, one student at a time and one deep breath at a time.”
Excerpts from written testimonials by Partin Settlement Elementary teachers.
One deep breath at a time
Take the breath Partin’s teachers practiced.
Flower and Candle Breathing was part of the training. Press start and follow the flower for three breaths.
Breathe in while the petals open. Breathe out while they close. Three breaths is the whole target.
Pattern
Breathing practice is not a treatment. If a child is distressed and cannot follow it, stop — a physical thing to hold works better than an instruction.
The day in pictures
From the Calm Caterpillar visit to Partin Settlement Elementary.
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Teachers settling in for the training. -
Stumpy cushions, Bloomie books and Mindfulness Guides. -
Kits and tools on display before the session.
For your school
Bring calm corners to your school.
A kit in every classroom and training for the staff, the way Partin Settlement started. Tell us about your school and we’ll help you plan it.