Jefferson Elementary Playground

On June 12, 2017 a massive storm rolled through our city.  Many families from our school were without power for days and many homes throughout the area were damaged or flooded. Power lines were snapped and lying on the ground throughout the city. Once it became safe to walk throughout the neighborhood again, Jefferson Elementary families made their way to the school in hopes of seeing it unscathed. Fortunately, the school building itself did not sustain much damage, but the children were stunned – many moved to tears – when they discovered the one, large shade tree on their playground had been knocked down by the 60-mile per hour straight-line winds and landed on an entire section of the equipment, crushing and twisting it beyond repair. Much of the main play structure was removed within days of the storm and continues to be an open gap this school year.

 
We need YOUR HELP to replace the playground equipment and upgrade the surface beneath it!

 
Implementing a large project on a short timeline like our playground renovation is a challenge for any school, but there are a few reasons why our school in particular is challenged by this endeavor. First, all playgrounds and associated fundraising in our district are the responsibility of the parents, teachers, students, and other school partners or community members. Being a Title I school, with 47% of families considered economically disadvantaged (the highest percentage in the district), it is difficult and even impossible to ask our families to bear the economic burden of a project of this scale. For this same reason, our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has a record of raising far fewer funds than other PTOs within our district simply because families do not always have the means to donate or participate in fundraisers. In addition to having a high percentage of students receiving free and reduced school lunch, Jefferson Elementary has the highest percentage of students with disabilities in our district at 21% of the school population. Because of physical, visual, and gross motor impairments, we have many students who struggle with access to the playground due to the traditional wood chip ground covering.

 
Our goal is to provide inclusive play structures and an accessible surface to suit the needs of our increasingly diverse students and families in our neighborhood. We want to ensure all students and community members who utilize the play space have access, the ability to safely engage, and ultimately enjoy positive social experiences and explorations.

 
The Jefferson Eagles appreciate your support!