Petersburg’s elementary school will be getting new accessible playground equipment next school year as part of a $173,000 grant from the Hurst Wood Education Foundation, a nonprofit that supports special education projects in schools.
The current playground at the Rae C. Stedman Elementary School has swings, slides, monkey bars, and a variety of climbing equipment. For students in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, playing on that equipment can be challenging.
Special Education Director Cyndy Fry said having a playground that’s inaccessible to certain students means they lose opportunities to play with other kids.
“The need of it is to have a playground where our students who have accessibility concerns … can have places where their peers can come join them,” Fry said. “It’s at their level, and it’s interactive.”
Fry said only a handful of elementary students have limited mobility, about 10 or less, but it’s still important to include these students at recess.
Superintendent Robyn Taylor agreed.
“This allows them to be down there with their peers, interacting with their peers,” she said.
Of the $173,000 grant, roughly $128,000 will be used to cover the costs of new equipment. The remaining money will be used on professional development for special education staff.
Fry said the district is planning on adding an art station, a music station, and an area for removable sand or water tables. They’ll extend the existing covered structure on the playground, so this area will be dry too.
She said this equipment will be something that all kids can use.
“So, it’s not targeting just those students who specifically need to be able to access in one way or another,” she said. “It’s something that every single kid can choose, if that’s what they choose to engage in.”
She said the additions to the playground will also offer options for kids who have different play styles at recess.
“Not every student really wants to run around or go on the slides,” she said. “There’s those kids who are just a little bit more quiet, maybe a little bit more artistic, and this will be a great place for all of those students, or any kid really.”
The district hopes to get the new playground equipment installed this summer.
