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Primary school wins Heart of Cook grant to fund loose‑parts outdoor play shed
Summary
Primary teacher Tracy Spalding said a Heart of Cook grant awarded $4,700 to buy a shed and storage for loose‑parts outdoor play; the district's EPS Foundation will cover materials and shelving.
Tracy Spalding, a primary‑level staff member, told the board she was awarded $4,700 from the Heart of Cook grant (funded by the Cook Nuclear Plant and administered by the Berrien Community Foundation) to support a loose‑parts play program at the primary school.
Spalding described loose‑parts play as child‑directed, open‑ended outdoor play using natural and manufactured materials (sticks, tires, PVC, crates and similar items) and said the grant will buy a shed to house materials. She said the Edwardsburg Public Schools Foundation will support shelving and materials inside the shed.
“We're with the money from the Heart of Cook grant, I received $4,700 from them, and that was to buy a shed,” Spalding said. She described loose‑parts play as supporting cognitive and social development and said the district would photograph and share the program with the board after installation.
Spalding also said parents and community members have contributed items and that the program will be child‑led and supervised by staff. The presenter asked the district to accept the grant and implement the shed and storage plan as part of the primary school playground improvements.
