Recess gets new look

Recess has a fresh face at Ruckersville Elementary School where the ribbon was cut on a new playground Monday, October 6.  Principal Mike Coiner and Janet Arsenault, Secretary of the Ruckersville PTA, opened the playground to several dozen children eager to climb, swing, slide and enjoy the new equipment.  School staff including the new school superintendent David Jeck, joined parents and community members to watch the children play.
The $35,000 playground was completely paid for by donations, including $10,000 from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.  The first annual RES 5K Fun Run last spring raised $1,500 toward the new playground, which gives more children better access to the benefits of both exercise and play.  A student read-a-thon raised another $1,200.  PTA fundraisers, special donations and student activities provided the rest of the funding.
“I want to thank last year’s fifth-grade class,“ says Coiner.  “Even though they knew the playground would not be built before they left this school, they took it upon themselves to raise $2,000 by putting coin collection jars in all the classes.“
“I also want to thank the community as a whole,“ adds Coiner.  “The kids and the PTA raised the funds, but the money came from the community - from parents and even from people who do not have kids in the school.“
Coiner continues: “Our PTA has been the driving force behind this project.  They raise about $35,000 a year through the Fall Festival, Santa’s Workshop and other events, and they put that money back into the school for the students.  I cannot say enough about what an asset they are.“
Arsenault credits both current and past PTAs for seeing the project through. “The new playground has been about two years in the making. The PTA members did an awesome job researching the companies and coming up with the right facility for us.“
The new set-up from Miracle Playgrounds, based in Missouri,  is about one-half of the finished design.  Other modules can be added to the central structure for $8,000 - $10,000 each.
“We worked with the Physical Education Department to choose pieces, like the climbing equipment, that promote upper body development,“ adds Coiner.  “The younger children can still use it, but the playground is geared towards developing strength in the third, fourth and fifth graders.“
Coiner looks forward to adding more modules as soon as funds become available.
“We wanted to do enough of the full set-up to show progress with the initial structure and to allow the kids to enjoy the playground right away,“ says Coiner.
“There is some additional climbing equipment we want to add and extra swings.  And, of course, every playground needs a slide.“