Greenwood Elementary PTS looking for donations to help build inclusive playground

LA GRANDE – The Greenwood School PTS is currently working on raising funds that will go towards an inclusive playground at Greenwood Elementary School in La Grande.  According to a member of the PTS, “the playground will be going in on the Greenwood field where there is currently no playground, and our community will have access to it. Greenwood is a title one school, and we are the only school in our district with the Life Skills program. Children in the life skills class are cognitively challenged and/or also physically disabled. Our socio-disadvantaged students are un-proportionally much higher than the other 2 schools in our district.

So far, we have raised 35 thousand dollars which is amazing for the socioeconomic standing of our school yet still very limiting as far as inclusive playground equipment. Our dream is that all of the children at Greenwood will experience true equity no matter their abilities or socioeconomic status. 

We believe inclusive play builds diverse relationships, combats adverse childhood events, and brings a sense of well-being and fun to our students.”

Other information:

– We have to have it installed by a professional playground installer for insurance purposes

– The reason we want it out in the field instead of in the greenwood school area is so that children in the community can access it all year. When it comes to the current playground, it’s locked up during the summer.

– We can’t replace any of the current playground because it’s so old there aren’t any parts to order

– The playgrounds we’re looking at purchasing allows us to add other pieces later as we get more money to expand it

-Our current play structure is 30+ years old

Community members who are interested in helping by making donations, the Greenwood PTS has a bank account at Community Bank where donations can be made. Pictures taken by Cortney Guentert-Chagas (Greenwood School Counselor) 

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Elkhorn Media Group