Blog #484: Why Spirit Week Activities are Stressful to Neurodivergent/Special Education Students?

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As we enter the month of November, many schools across the country are gearing up to host their spirit week activities ahead of Thanksgiving. Typically, spirit week is usually held on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving at least in Seekonk Public Schools. Many of the activities that make up spirit week usually can range from board games in the library to tug of war in the gymnasium. The idea here is for the school community to embrace the spirit of the school.

But it’s important to remember that like all assemblies, spirit week isn’t for everyone, particularly those who are neurodivergent or sensory friendly. The idea of being crammed in a loud setting with the band playing and your fellow peers screaming and cheering for the competitors is enough to make anyone feel like having their legs be turned to water.

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I mean, an important part of my trade as a public speaker is sharing my own experiences with school assemblies. The fact that I had to mask my emotions in order to not ruin things for everyone else was more than difficult to say the least. The truth was that because of this, I never had any alternative routes to avoid not having to go.

Did I enjoy the spirit week activities? No, but I did them anyway because it was part of being a part of the student body. Like all assemblies, I was looking forward to getting out of the assembly the moment I stepped in. But, while there were some moments I liked, it was one of those moments where I walked out with three separate headaches.

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Of course, the last thing anyone wants is to have three straight headaches and possibly three straight days of meltdowns or anxiety attacks. But, it’s also important for the sensory friendly student to advocate for him or herself that the Spirit Week activities might be too much to experience in person and would much rather enjoy it from the comfort of their own classroom with the teacher. While most schools could argue, I think the idea of having the spirit week activities broadcast could be a good way to have the student be engaged, but without actually being involved in the noisy atmosphere.

It is also a good idea on account that there might be some students who might have to stay home from school on account of being sick or other matters.

Remember, that everything I have said is not meant to isolate students from spirit week, but more for alternative approaches to the events as they happen.

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Catch you all later!!