New Playground Planned For Reed Intermediate School

By Susan Coney

Reed Intermediate School Principal Donna Denniston was pleased to announce to parents and families in a newsletter sent home last week that the school would be receiving a substantial piece of new playground equipment later this year.

Ms Denniston stated in her newsletter, “We are happy to announce that the students voted for the Spacenet as the first and pivotal piece of the planned playground. We are targeting to get the area excavated, landscaped. and installed before the winter break.”

The Reed PTA along with the school’s student council has been targeting funds to help build a much needed playground area. Currently, the school has a small, fenced-in blacktop play area that only offers basketball courts. In the past, the school’s student council has raised funds to provide students with such items as hula-hoops, jump ropes, Frisbees, and various types of balls.

Ms Denniston went on to say that with $3,000 in funds from the Teacup fundraiser, a grant from the PTA, and student council contributions, $15,000 has been raised. She continued by saying, “We have come close to attaining our goal thanks to a very generous donation from a Reed parent, which leaves us with $5,000 to raise in order to get the first phase started. We are really hoping our current students will be able to have an outdoor play area by the beginning of the year.”

The entire student body took part in voting to select the first piece of equipment to be purchased for the playground. The majority voted for the Spacenet Climber made by Landscape Structures. The Spacenet Climber is a three-dimensional web made of durable, climber friendly SpaceCable. The equipment is weather resistant, vandal resistant, and virtually maintenance free. The Spacenet Climber resembles a giant spider web, allowing for creative, interactive play while providing children with challenging motor and logic skills when using it. Many children may use the equipment at the same time and it is available through Landscape Structures in several different sizes and configurations.

Lil Martenson, fifth grade teacher and co-advisor for the Reed Student Council, said that providing more playground equipment for the school has always been a priority to student council representatives. “The majority of the council members wanted to see improvement for the playground structure,” Ms Martenson said.

Sixth grade council member Sean Fahey, who served as the Reed Student Council treasurer last year, said, “I think everyone will enjoy the new piece of equipment. It is 12 feet tall and will hold a lot of kids. The student council started looking at playground equipment and Ms Denniston said she would research companies looking for the newest and best equipment for our age group. She came up with some good choices that I think everyone will enjoy.”