Brennan Woods Elementary School students have a new playground to explore this school year. On Aug. 18, the Northwest R-1 School District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new playground, with many students from Brennan Woods Elementary in attendance.
“We are extremely excited about this addition to Brennan Woods Elementary,” Principal Annie Hammond said. “The new equipment is an incredible and exciting contribution to the school environment as well as the community.”
Hammond said students will be able to use the playground and swings most every school day, depending on the weather, which will promote outdoor play and peer socialization.
Mark Janiesch, chief operating officer for the Northwest R-1 District, said that construction for the new playground began sometime in April and was completed in July.
Northwest district facilities personnel prepared the site for the new equipment, and the district chose BCI Burke to build the new playground and purchased the equipment from The Playground Consultants, the exclusive eastern and southern Missouri vendor for BCI Burke.
“The Playground and surfacing cost $225,450. This project was completely funded with proceeds from the $28 million bond issue that voters approved in April 2023,” Janiesch said.
The district has been working for about a year to replace the playgrounds at all six elementary schools and the Early Childhood Center. The district awarded contracts in May to replace the final two playgrounds – at High Ridge and Murphy elementary schools.
Janiesch said the High Ridge playground is expected to be completed by the end of September and the Murphy playground in mid-October.
He said all the playgrounds were aging and showing wear and tear and needed to be replaced.
“They (the playgrounds) were in various conditions throughout the district, but all were needing to be replaced within the near future before any safety issues arose,” he said.
Janiesch said the safety of students was a priority when creating the new playgrounds, and the fall surface of all the playgrounds is made with bonded rubber mulch, an upgrade from the thick rubber tiles used on the previous playgrounds. The new playgrounds are also designed to be more accessible for all students.
“The new playgrounds are equipped with the latest safety amenities, and all of the new playgrounds are inclusive playgrounds, which means that they are equipped with features that allow students with disabilities to be able to enjoy the play structure as well,” he said. “Being able to have the inclusive features for students with disabilities to be able to participate with everyone else on the playground is an immense upgrade over what we had in place before.”
Students from the district’s elementary schools suggested some of the features included in the new playgrounds.
Hammond said it was incredible to see the students’ reactions to the new playground at Brennan Woods Elementary.
“Students showed positivity, excitement and enthusiasm for the new equipment. They have been eager to utilize all the new parts, and this week they were able to do that,” she said.