Parents and teachers urge accessible replacement for elementary playground

Two public commenters used the district’s public comment period to press the board to prioritize a new, fully accessible elementary playground.

Jordan Baumann, introduced at the podium as a former student and parent of three, told trustees the current playground “has far exceeded the lifespan they were designed for” and asked the board to make replacement a priority rather than leaving it to piecemeal fundraising. “Safe functional facilities are not luxuries. They’re essential needs for our students,” Baumann said.

Heather Trakte, a 4K teacher who has served on the playground committee for two years, told the board the existing pea gravel surfacing is unsafe and limits access for students with mobility limitations; she asked trustees to prioritize turf or similarly accessible surfacing rather than wood chips. “I ask that you prioritize the fully accessible playground with surfacing such as turf,” Trakte said, noting that about a dozen students in the school have mobility limitations and that accessible surfacing supports inclusion.

Both speakers acknowledged the district’s budget constraints but said community fundraising should complement, not replace, a district commitment to safety and access. The board heard those concerns before later approving the $600,000 district commitment to the project.