MADISON, Wis (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- A group of Southern Wisconsin teachers spent close to 40 hours working not on their classrooms — but rather a special area devoted to helping kids deal with anxiety and stress.   It’s called the 'Mindfulness Room' and the Verona Area School District’s Stoner Prairie Elementary hopes it helps give students the tools they need feel kind and courageous everyday.

"Everyone has an invisible backpack, but they don’t have the strategies to manage their emotions," Principal Tammy Thompson Kapp said.   "They are talking to us in ways that aren’t words, that can be running or hiding and our job is to help them tell their story with words instead of actions…and help them regulate their emotions," she added.

Over the summer, seven teachers at Stoner Prairie were certified to become yoga instructors for their students.  So far only a handful of other schools in Wisconsin have a 'Mindfulness Room'.   Not to far from Verona — Sun Prairie opened their space last year.