The Fox C-6 School District plans to install new playgrounds at six more elementary schools – Clyde Hamrick, Fox, Hodge, Lone Dell, Rockport Heights and Simpson elementary schools.
The new playgrounds are expected to be installed this summer and be completed when the 2023-2024 school year begins on Aug. 23.
Board of Education members voted unanimously March 28 to pay Play and Park Structures in Chattanooga, Tenn., $625,087 to install the six playgrounds. The board previously agreed to pay the company $99,001.42 to install a playground at Sherwood Elementary School.
The district is paying for the new playgrounds with funds from Prop P, a $40 million bond issue voters approved in June 2020, as well as with money it received from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), which was provided in the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in December 2020.
■ The district will pay $99,338.66 for the playground at Clyde Hamrick, 4525 E. Four Ridge Road, in Imperial.
Clyde Hamrick Principal Gina Buehner said the school has one playground used by students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
“It is hard to capture in words just how excited (students) are,” she said. “Enjoying the outdoors is essential to our students’ well-being, and having a safe and fun space for them to play is extremely important to us. We are beyond grateful for our community’s support to ensure that our students have a safe and exciting place to play and socialize.”
■ The playground at Fox Elementary, 739 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold will cost $105,993.96.
Fox Elementary Principal Jennifer Fritz said all students will have access to the new playground, but it will be used daily for students in pre-kindergarten through third grade.
“We are so grateful for the support in helping us get this updated playground for our students,” she said. “There is nothing better than seeing the students smile, play and enjoy recess. This positively impacts our community because not only do our students enjoy the playground during school days, but community members use the playground on evenings and weekends.”
■ The district will pay $108,919.20 for the playground at Hodge, 2499 Prairie Hollow Road, in Imperial.
Hodge Principal Dustin Brown said students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade will have access to the playground.
“We are thankful for the support that the Fox C-6 community has provided in their approval of Proposition P, and these playground upgrades,” he said. “Although Hodge is the newest elementary school, it is still two decades old. Our playground equipment is showing its age.
“This upgrade will allow us to begin phasing out our front playground, by locating the new playground in a safer location tucked in behind the school building. Our goal would be to eventually add on to the new playground with additional equipment for our students to enjoy.”
■ The district will pay $120,968.29 for the playground at Lone Dell, 2500 Tomahawk Drive, just west of Arnold.
Lone Dell Principal Jim Ray said primarily students in second through fifth grade will use the playground, but kindergarten and first grade students also will be able to use it on occasion.
“We’re very thankful to be getting a new playground that will be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant,” he said. “This will allow our physically impaired students to access the structure in a safe manner. This playground is a gathering place for students and parents after school as well and will be much appreciated by our Lone Dell families.”
■ The playground at Rockport Heights, 3871 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold will cost $87,874.56.
Rockport Heights Principal Janine Hueter said pre-kindergarten through second grade students will use the new playground daily, and third through fifth grade will use it when it’s available.
“Our old structure was in disrepair, and we are so thankful for the community support in updating our front playground,” she said. “Our building rotates as a summer school site as well as our summer (Character Kids Club) camp, so many students throughout the district will benefit from our new playground structure. Due to the location of our building, we have many community members who use it in the evenings and weekends, so this will also benefit our entire community.”
■ Fox will pay $101,991.61 for the playground at Simpson, 3585 Vogel Road, just west of Arnold.
Simpson Principal Bryan Clark said all students will use the new playground every day.
“We are excited to have our 23-year-old playground replaced due to the support of our community,” he said. “The current structure was purchased by the Simpson Parents Club in 2000 and has been repaired many times. We have a number of students at Simpson who have limitations to their mobility. Special education staff provided input, and the new playground is designed to be more accessible for all of our students. As there is no park in our attendance area, families often use our playgrounds during the evenings and weekends.”
District officials said the costs for the different playgrounds varied due to different needs for each school.
■ The Fox district also plans to purchase a new playground for Antonia Elementary, 3901 Old Hwy. M, but a contract for that playground has not been awarded. The district plans to spend about $100,000 on that playground, chief financial officer John Stewart said.
He said the district had anticipated spending about $900,000 to purchase the eight new playgrounds, and it has $175,909.58 left in the budget, so at least some of it will go toward purchasing the Antonia Elementary playground.
Stewart said the district is not installing new playgrounds at Meramec Heights and Seckman elementary schools because those buildings have newer playgrounds that do not need to be replaced. However, the Meramec Heights playground will be relocated after construction of an addition to that building is completed this fall.
The Fox district also is not paying for a new playground at Guffey Elementary because McBride Homes donated one to the school when board members voted to move a 182-home development in the Springdale area between Arnold and Fenton from the Meramec Heights Elementary School boundary into Guffey’s boundary.
Stewart said that playground has been installed, but students have not been able to use it this school year.
“There are issues with the installation of the surface and the equipment making it unsafe for use,” he said.
Stewart did not say when the problems with the Guffey playground will be resolved.
