Schools embrace flexible seating to boost inclusivity
Classrooms in Glen Cove’s elementary schools — Connolly, Landing, Deasy and Gribbin — are undergoing a transformation thanks to a $40,000 donation from the Glen Cove Education Foundation. With the goal of creating more engaging and inclusive learning environments, the foundation has funded flexible seating options to meet the diverse needs of district students, particularly those with neurodivergent learning styles.
The initiative, organized by Danielle Fugazy Scagliola, president of the Glen Cove Education Foundation, has had a noticeable impact on classroom dynamics.
“This was born out of the school district,” Fugazy Scagliola said. “This is what they wanted, and the education foundation just raised money. Every teacher got a menu of things to choose from . . . It wound up being $40,000 in the end, but every teacher got $500 worth of flexible seating for their classroom.”
The range of seating options includes beanbag chairs, balance balls, wobble chairs, beach chairs and standing desks. The choices are designed to enhance students’ focus and motivation, particularly by promoting movement and comfort. The response from both students and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the new setups for creating a more personalized and comfortable learning environment.
For Stephanie Colón, a parent in the district, flexible seating has made a noticeable difference for her daughter, Julianne, a third-grader who has struggled with reading in the past.
The changes extend beyond seating. “We’ve included things like light covers to make the environment more comfortable, as fluorescent lights can be quite harsh,” Connolly Elementary School Bryce Klatsky said. “In some classrooms we have reading tents, and students might be sitting on wobble chairs or standing at a desk while working. What we see is that when students are able to stand, move or sit in a position that’s comfortable for them, they’re more focused and motivated to learn.”
Klatsky emphasized that the new arrangements are particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students, who process information and learn differently from neurotypical students.
“We know that not all students learn in the same way,” he said. “For students with a documented neurodivergent brain, and even for those who aren’t, some students need to bounce or stand while they learn. Flexible seating allows them to do that without distracting others. It’s healthier for students when they’re standing or moving while working, and it boosts their engagement in learning. For neurodivergent students, having that choice is critical.”
The project is part of a broader shift in education toward a recognition that students have different learning styles and needs. “For us, it’s about giving students the power to choose how they learn best,” Klatsky said. “It’s made us a more inclusive community, where everyone feels validated in their needs.”
This shift in thinking, he added, is one of the most important outcomes of the project. “It’s more than just about the seats — it’s about the bigger validation that students feel when they know they have the power to choose where they sit and how they learn,” he said. “For kids, feeling that autonomy at a young age helps set them on a path for advocating for their own learning needs.”
Klatsky said that as long as students aren’t distracting others, they can sit any way they need to in order to learn.
For parents like Colón, the benefits of the initiative are clear.
“She looks forward to going to school now,” she said. “My daughter’s reading has improved so much, and she’s becoming more confident. It’s amazing to see how something as simple as a comfortable chair can make such a difference in their education.”
