More than 400 kids and adults packed the gym at J’Ville Elementary from 5-8 pm on March 2 to support “Project Playground” and the Tricky Tray Spaghetti Dinner, Raffle and Silent Auction. We are awaiting the $$$ figure raised and will post it as soon as we know. We are confident the event raised a substantial amount, judging by the enthusiasm of the crowd and our observations. PTO organizers did a sensational job of decorating the gym and raffling-off donated gift baskets – more than 50 of which were raffled off by MC/parent and stand-up guy Matt Patten. The REVIEW was especially impressed with the 6th, 7th and 8th grade volunteer students who worked hard serving hundreds of plates of spaghetti – all food was prepped by the great staff at the Bella Union Restaurant. Once again, the community stepped-up to support a great cause. Special thanks to Sandy Metwally and her team! Sandy is the organizer of “Project Playground,” a fundraising effort to replace the playground equipment on the school grounds. Please read the article below for more on this story and find out how you can help!
“Project Playground” Underway
A recent state-mandated assessment of the metal playground equipment at Jacksonville Elementary School as “not suitable, unsafe and posing danger” resulted in a sizable portion of it being removed. The order was issued by the Medford 549C District which brought in heavy equipment and backhoes in early February to bring down about half of the playground. A July, 2011 safety-related risk study assessment conducted district-wide by PACE – Property and Casualty Coverage for Education notes, “The Jacksonville Elementary school playground has two structures that are aging and some parts do not comply with the US Consumer Products Safety Commission “Public Playground Safety Handbook.’” The report summary noted, “The district should consider replacing these structures as soon as funds are available…sometimes it takes several years to raise the money to replace a play structure, so you should start as soon as possible.”
Surprisingly, the Medford 549C district is under no obligation to fund replacing the equipment – but has generously pledged to foot the cost of re-mulching under the new playground equipment, when and if installed!
As was the case at Lone Pine, Mae Richardson and Ruch Elementary Schools, a replacement fundraising campaign is now underway in Jacksonville, being spearheaded by Sandy Metwally, a parent of two JVE students. Metwally was on hand at the February 8 Parks Committee meeting where she outlined the situation for committee members. After agreeing in principle that the playground served the entire community as a park during non-school hours, the committee forwarded a recommendation to the City Council to utilize $10,000 in set-aside funds toward “Project Playground.” The funds had been earmarked in 2005 for playground and park improvements which never developed.
Days later, the JVE Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) approved a new playground equipment concept plan, the cost of which is nearly $150,000. A Grants Pass firm, “Playcraft,” was selected by the PTO as the contractor – it is one of the nation’s largest equipment manufacturers whose equipment can be found at Jacksonville’s Doc Griffin, Nunan Square and Pheasant Meadow parks and numerous county parks and other school yards.
This “best-case” plan replaces the most engaging parts of the playground with new slides, swings, monkey bars, suspension bridges and climbing structures, according to Metwally.
The PTO mission has now shifted to fundraising – in hopes of replacing the playground equipment by start of school in fall, 2012. After subtracting costs of volunteer labor, manufacturer discounts, city funds and school district contributions of labor and ground cover, the replacement estimate is $120,000. To bridge the gap, Metwally will be applying for $55,000 in combined grants from the Robert & Francis Cheney Family Foundation, West Family Foundation, Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation and the Carpenter Foundation. After factoring-in a $10,000 donation from the Jacksonville PTO and $9,000 from school families and fundraisers, (and assuming some of the grants are successful) a funding gap of $35,000 to $65,000 will exist, says Metwally.
“Obviously, with upwards of 200 kids using the playground at a time during recess,” Metwally said, “this situation needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The PTO, teachers, staff and especially the kids would really like to have the playground back to normal as soon as possible. At this point we are seeking-out corporate sponsors to help fund this worthwhile community project.”
To reach Sandy Metwally and the Jacksonville PTO, please call 541-941-5771 or email sandymetwally@gmail.com