Have you headed upstairs to the Hawk’s Nest? 

The Hawk’s Nest in Room 222 was introduced last fall in an attempt to provide students with a mindfulness space during the busy day. This mindfulness room has many activities, including a sand tray, water painting, a “lava floor” (with interactive pads), puzzles, writing prompts, and more. 

High school and middle school students have been visiting the room throughout the day for the past year, but in recent weeks there has been confusion about our accessibility.

Many high schoolers use the Hawk’s Nest to take a breather during the day. 

“[Going to the Hawk’s Nest] I get to get away from people which helps my anxiety. It’s calming and I get to have my own little space. … It’s important to have the Hawk’s Nest because without it I feel stressed and like I don’t have a break,” sophomore Jayden Pastran shared. 

Davenport clarified the protocols for using his important space. 

As of now, the Hawk’s Nest is available to high schoolers during study hall and lunch periods for ten minutes at a time. 

Four students (two middle school and two high school) are able to be in the Hawk’s Nest at once, and students must have their study hall teacher or lunch aide call up to the Hawk’s Nest to see if there’s availability and get a pass before going.

Students that want to go up to the Hawk’s Nest during a class would likely have to go through a guidance counselor first, but students are not necessarily banned from going during a class when appropriate.

Davenport also clarified that the seating area next to the Hydroponic Garden is not a part of the Hawk’s Nest, as there was some confusion about that in the past. 

The idea of a mindfulness space for students was originally brought up before the pandemic occurred. Originally set to be in a science room, the plans were interrupted by the pandemic. Once everyone returned to school after COVID, the Hawk’s Nest was officially commissioned to be a mindfulness retreat for middle and high school students alike.

The specifics around the Hawk’s Nest accessibility could always be discussed with Mr. Davenport and the committee for this topic (consisting mainly of school counselors), so what do you think? Is this a fair amount of accessibility, or should there be more options? Leave a comment below.