Playgrounds Near Completion

Ready For School Year

Both the new playground equipment at Northside Elementary School and Southside Elementary School will be ready when students begin classes this fall.

Shane Reed, Wolf Point School District’s facilities director, said the playground at Southside is completed.

“It’s installed and ready to go” Reed said last week. “There are just a few maintenance issues like leveling the ground.”

At Northside, the school was just waiting for two handrails to be delivered. After the handrails are installed, then pea gravel just needs to be added.

“Everything will be ready to go by the start of the school year,” Reed said.

Some of his favorite elements of the new playgrounds include “mom and child” swings and spring rides that look like a horse and a bear.

“It’s so much better than what we had,” Reed said.

Another addition is “buddy benches” where if a young student wants someone to play with, they sit on the bench and wait for a partner to come over.

“If someone is sitting on the buddy bench, they are looking for someone to play with,” Reed explained.

He noted school employees starting working on the project during the second week of June. Some shipping delays were encountered, but staff is pleased that the playgrounds will be ready for students.

The playgrounds were part of the building improvements that the school board approved to be paid with ESSER funds. Other projects addressed with ESSER funds include HVAC improvements at all the schools and window replacements at Northside.

Swings

The new “mon and child” swings at Southside Elementary School’s playground. (Photo by Bill Vander Weele)