Up on Play Schools Issue 2

Landscape Structures was honored to participate in the National Association of

Elementary School Principals’ (NAESP) fifth annual Community Service Day along with

nearly 100 principals from around the nation. Together, we installed an inclusive playground

at John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Md., on Wednesday, July 10.

Mary C. Donnelly, principal of John Ruhrah for the past 12 years, believes the new

playground will enable the school to dramatically increase the use of outside grounds

for both instruction and recreation.

Principals congregated at Seattle’s Hawthorne Elementary School in March 2012 to

build an inclusive playground. In just a few hours, the inclusive PlayBooster® playstructure

was installed, allowing the principals to network with each other

and interact with Hawthorne Elementary students.

In April 2011, we created a nature-inspired outdoor learning

environment for Booker T. Washington Elementary School in

Tampa, Fla. Now more than two years later, Principal Toynita

Martinez says the outdoor classroom concept is being embraced.

“All of our teachers are taking advantage of the outdoor

classroom,” said Martinez. “A lot of math and science classes

take place outside. Plus, reading groups disperse in the space to

finish a reading assignment and then come together to discuss.”

Our first time participating in the NAESP Community Service Day

was in 2010. We designed a sensory-rich play space complete with

the Sensory Play Center® and Cozy Dome® for students at

MacGregor Music and Science Academy in Houston, Texas.

“We’re really proud and still excited about the gift that NAESP

and Landscape Structures provided,” said Principal Patricia Allen

of the playground.

Learn more about our partnership with NAESP, and our joint

commitment to enhancing the lives of children and the

communities in which they live.

Bringing play to schools around the nation

Hawthorne Elementary School

Booker T. Washington Elementary School

Planning and building a school playground is a rewarding, yet challenging

experience. Whether you’re updating an existing playground or creating a new

one, it’s useful to use a step-by-step guide to help you assess your play area and

community needs, create a playground design that all visitors can enjoy, and

properly install and maintain your play area to ensure you maximize your

investment. Landscape Structures’ playground planning guide offers a few

simple steps to help you design an amazing playground in which your entire

school community finds value.

Envisioning your playground Get started on your playground project by defining objectives—age groups of

users, number of students, space and budget requirements, and design

features—for your play area. Planning an efficient layout and following

recommended design guidelines can help ensure you create a beautiful

playground that is safe, fun and comfortable for kids of every age and ability.

Designing to fit your environment The characteristics of your site, including both natural and man-made elements,

impact your playground design. Work with your Landscape Structures

playground consultant to analyze your site and make the most of the

environment. Once you have your vision and site analysis, you can begin the

design process. Whether you’re envisioning a sprawling inclusive playground or

a more compact nature-inspired playstructure, your Landscape Structures

playground consultant and designer will help bring your image of play to life.

Funding your playground Landscape Structures understands that a large factor in the playground

planning process is funding, which is why the company offers ideas for

fundraising programs to help you reach your budget goals. From scratch-off

games to walk-a-thons, event management programs to playground grants, these highly profitable programs will make your fundraising easier and more fun.

Another way to help cut costs is to consider making your playground a

community build project. Landscape Structures and its network of playground

consultants has supported thousands of community build playground projects,

and will offer advice and materials to help you through the process from start to

finish. Not only does a community build help save money, but it will also help

create a heightened sense of pride and ownership among the school community.

Enjoy and maintain your playground After completing the first steps of planning in addition to fundraising, your

playground will be ready for students! Celebrate all the work that went into

creating your amazing school playground by hosting a grand opening party to

welcome students, families and community members, and thank all that were

involved in the process—committee members, fundraisers, donors, build

volunteers, etc.

While your playground should last for many years, it’s important to schedule

regular inspections and maintenance checks to ensure it stays safe for

users. Landscape Structures provides customized maintenance kits for each

playground order to assist you in ongoing maintenance. Plus your local

playground consultant can provide advice on recommended frequency of

inspections and support as needed.

Contact your local Landscape Structures playground consultant to request your

copy of the playground planning guide, and then browse playlsi.com to learn

more about how to create an amazing playground.

Building school playgrounds and community

Florida school celebrates SpongeBob-themed playground, reading oasisOn Thursday, Sept. 12, Enterprise Elementary School in Enterprise, Fla., celebrated the

grand opening of its new playground that mimics SpongeBob SquarePants’ hometown of

Bikini Bottom. The playground came to the school after Madison Hern, a 5th grade

student last year, entered the 2012 Nickelodeon “I Wanna Play” Sweepstakes and won the

grand prize playground makeover.

Landscape Structures is proud to have had the opportunity to work on this innovative

school playground design. Included in the playground design is SpongeBob’s pineapple

house, which was sculpted from concrete; Squidward’s house, which is reminiscent of an

Easter Island Head; and the Cozy Dome® was used to represent Patrick’s rock house. Plus,

there are many colorful, flower-shaped climbers and extras included in the overall design.

The grand opening included costumed SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward characters, a

university marching band and a trademark Nickelodeon sliming of Enterprise

Elementary’s principal in front of its nearly 600 students. Check out photos of the event here.

That evening the Deltona Kiwanis Club hosted a Family Reading Night at Enterprise

Elementary, which began with the dedication of the new Kiwanis Reading Oasis. This

unique reading room, donated by Scholastic, will be used by students and their families

for family reading time, and Kiwanis members will read to and mentor students.

Additionally, all the students were able to visit the Scholastic Book Fair and select a book

of their choice thanks to Nickelodeon.

Learn more about the unique partnerships that brought the playground and reading

room to Enterprise Elementary here.

Leave it to the professionalsLandscape Structures is so honored to work with schools around the world. We’re

constantly learning about fun and unique projects on which you’ve worked, obstacles

that you face and innovative solutions that you create to overcome challenges. That’s why

we’ve created this new feature that spotlights a school professional, introduces him or

her, and gives you a glimpse into what projects and programs he or she has implemented.

Our featured professional is Alison Epler, principal at Thornton Creek Elementary School in Novi, Mich. Read below to learn more about Alison, and her experience as an educator

and school leader.

Q: How long have you been involved with schools as an educator or school leader?

A: I was a classroom teacher for 11 years in Brighton, Mich., in the same building and grade level where I did my

student teaching. I taught first grade for five years and fourth grade for five years. I left the classroom during

my 11th year and worked as a consultant/Response to Intervention Facilitator for the building. My master’s

degree in educational leadership was completed in 2006, and I am beginning my third year as principal for

Northville Public Schools.

Q: Thornton Creek Elementary was awarded the grand prize of our School Grounds. Playgrounds. Common Ground.™ contest because of your commitment to creating an inclusive environment. In addition to the new playground, can you explain what you’re doing to move forward with this commitment?

A: Our fundraising continues as we are working to add a track around our playground. Our elementary school is a

neighborhood school and backs up to many homes of our students, and the path will be great for runners,

walkers and bike riders. Plus, our students participate in a Mileage Club during lunch recess and we have a

Girl on the Run program, both of which will be able to use the track.

Q: What have been some of your favorite initiative to tackle since being a principal?

A: Academically, we are working toward aligning instruction with the Common Core State Standards. Our district

passed a technology bond, which will fund Promethean boards for all of our classrooms. Along with those

initiatives, we are working to increase our extra-curricular activities to include Chess Club, Lego Robotics,

Junior Great Books, Science Olympiad and Girls on the Run.

As you know, we just completed our inclusive playground project. It was a lot of fun and our committee was very

creative with their fundraising efforts. From popsicle sales to concerts to a walk-a-thon, we worked hard and had

fun all while promoting healthy habits and an active lifestyle.

Q: What are some of your personal hobbies when you’re not being a principal?

A: My favorite time outside of school is spent with my family. I have a 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. I also

have three sisters and nine nieces and nephews, with whom we spend a lot of time. We love being outside

golfing, swimming, walking, riding bikes and fishing! I am in the middle of training for my first half marathon,

which will take place in October!

Learn more about Alison and Thornton Creek Elementary School by visiting thorntoncreek.northvilleschools.org.

©2013 Landscape Structures Inc.

Landscape Structures Inc.601 7th St. SouthDelano, MN 55328-8605888.438.6574763.972.5200playlsi.com d

Calendar of EventsLooking forward to seeing and celebrating with you during the following events:

September • Green Apple Day of Service

OctOber • National Principals Month

• SPD Foundation 3S Symposium & Expo

NOvember • NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo

December • Inclusive Schools Week

Industry News Read about the latest happenings affecting schools, and then join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Let us know what you think about the following topics:

• Honoring principals across the nation The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) will once again pay tribute to the outstanding elementary and middle-level administrators from across the nation during its annual National Distinguished Principals program, Oct. 24-25, in Washington, D.C. Learn about the 2013 Class of National Distinguished Principals here.

• Funding for experimental schools Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), a partnership between the Gates Foundation, the League for Innovation in the Community College and EDUCAUSE, is accepting grant applications on a rolling basis this fall for districts throughout the country looking for funds to transform their schools. Learn more about this funding opportunity, which helps schools shift from traditional teaching to more experimental models, here.

• Boosting achievement in schools Ten Guilford County, N.C., schools, most of them elementary schools, are being targeted this year for extra support in hopes of boosting achievement. The schools will get top priority for more teacher training, classroom monitoring and even building maintenance. Read more about this effort.

• California proposes new testing plan As California lawmakers consider legislation to revamp the state’s standardized testing system, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan threatened to withhold federal funding. The proposed state law would end the standardized exams used since 1999 in an effort to advance new learning goals, called the Common Core standards.

Read more here.

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