Almost finished!!!

Sign up to help install the new play equipment.  Not only will it be fun, but it will save the project almost 10 thousand!!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b45abac2ca02-jsis3

Playground Update

It's almost here! After 1.5 years of planning & construction we are mere weeks away from an amazing new playground!

The renovation has been progressing through the summer and will be completed shortly after school resumes, currently projected for mid-September. Once the equipment is installed, students will receive an orientation for safety and usage. We will be sure to announce solid dates as they are finalized.

At this point in the project, we've had to financially scale back plans for landscaping and art. We are still accepting donations to help push through the last pieces of this project. If you haven't yet had an opportunity to contribute, we welcome your donations via check at the JSIS office or via Paypal.

In the coming weeks, there will also be several opportunities to volunteer your time to the final tasks, including assembling the equipment, spreading new woodchips, and re-painting the lines on the blacktop. Please sign up!

Playground Equipment Build - Volunteers Needed!

Contribute to the legacy of JSIS by helping to build the playground! Many volunteers are needed for Sat. Sept 10th to construct the new equipment under the guidance of the vendor. If we can't finish on Saturday, we may need a handful of volunteers on Sunday, but our hope is to get things done in one day. Please note, this build project is for adults only; kids will not be allowed on site. Sign up here!

We will also be sending out sign-ups for woodchips and painting once dates are confirmed. Kids will be welcome to help out at those events.

Check out the Excavation and new layout being created!!!

The Demolition has begun!!!

Playground update and design images

We have been busy finalizing our designs and contracting with a construction company to start the work on the playground in the next few weeks.

We have a complete layout for the play equipment and are VERY excited about it.

I wanted to share these images with the community before school ended, but we were unable to get them done by the end of school.

Some things to notice,

The existing rope pyramid shaped climber will not be moved,  It is shown here as a grey pyramid thing that looks nothing like our actual climber.  That end of the play area will remain elevated.  The rest of the play area will be lowered to be much closer to black top level.  There will be a new artifial grass slope connecting the two areas.

Please note that these images are really only meant to show the play equipment lay out and do not accurately show what the concrete border of the play area will look like.  I will add a series of images following to show what that will look like.  The walls and stairs in these first images are not correct.  There will be no tall sharp walls shown in these first two images.

The following images show a bit more of what the new border of the playground will look like.  It will be a mixture of benches and low stairs which gradually become higher as you move south towards the existing net climber.  At the far south end where the two large trees are, a cobbled "boulder scramble"area will replaced the existing dirt slopes.  This would be to the left of the stairs/benches combo shown below.  The far South (left)area up next to the tall chain link fence will be a raised bed to create an additional planting area for future landscaping.  In the SouthWest corner will be a new "Gathering circle of seat stones"  The final addition, if our budget allows, will be a stepping stone path across the south and west corner of the play area.  This area will still be wood chips but with some stepping stones to play/walk on.  

This last image shows some detail regarding the grass slope.   It will be more of a rounded hill, rather than a straight banked slope.  

Finally, if we have extra money, we will be installing several benches along the west edge of the playground. 

Closed for Renovation!!!

The renovations will begin next week!  The majority of the playground is currently fenced off.
Stop by or check the blog site to watch the changes all summer!

LSA Funds the Playground Improvement!!!

Latona School Associates has been providing great before and after school care for JSIS families for over 20 years.  But did you know they have also generously supported many playground improvement efforts?

The Playground Committee is pleased to announce that Latona School Associates (LSA) has given a generous donation of $20,000 to the playground fund! This donation not only brings us closer to our final project goals, it allows us to choose a larger and more creative set of play equipment. 

Thank you LSA!!

Playground Info Night

Info Night this week was sparsely attended.

Here are the slide from the Power point we presented.  Ill do my best to answer any questions posted here on the blog. Thank you to the JSIS and Wallingford community for your continued support of this project.

New Play equipment is coming!!!!

In March, the Playground Improvement Committee sent out a Request for Proposals to 8 local vendors of play equipment.  We received proposals from 5.  The committee, including Mrs U, as well as staff from JSIS and LSA, have narrowed the choices down to 2.  We used a standard set of criteria required by SPS.  The top 2 were very clearly ahead of the others.  Each vendor has supplied several proposals that fit within our space and our budget.   Each vendor only sells and installs one brand of equipment.  Unfortunately we have to select one vendor/installer.  

  These are ONLY EXAMPLES.  

AFTER we select a vendor, we can select other items from their catalog that fit our space and budget.    Feel free to look at their websites to get an idea of other equipment they offer.
Mrs U posted a set of these images in the lunch room this week.  The children will be voting During gym class this week!  

  See link to Survey Monkey  for you to add your vote or comments.  

There is a section in the survey for you or your children to say what items they most like on a playground.  Be aware that SPS will not allow many types of equipment such as zip lines, swings, high climbing walls...etc...

VOTE HERE    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZHFG6Y8





Company #1  Landscape Structures  https://www.playlsi.com 

Company #2  PlayWorld   http://playworld.com  

Thank you Roosevelt Whole Foods!

On Thursday, April 7, the JSIS PTSA Playground Fund and Roosevelt Whole Foods were proud partners for Community Support Day. Every quarter, Whole Foods designates a day when 5% of proceeds go to a good cause – in this case, our fabulous playground project! Thanks to the generosity of Whole Foods  and the support of the JSIS and Wallingford community, we are pleased to announce that Whole Foods will be donating $6,300 to the Playground Fund! Every step takes us closer to our goal and ensures that more of our design plans will be completed this summer!

We still are fundraising, so if you are interested in donating, please check out donation options in the sidebar.

Thank you!

Shop at Whole Foods Roosevelt April 7th.

Don't forget to tell all your friends to shop at whole foods.

5% of ALL proceeds for the day will go to the playground improvement.

We still need to raise a fair amount of money to be able to complete all the proposed renovations.

Greg

New Playground Equipment!

Today we sent out the request for proposals to vendors of new playground equipment!

Over the next month we will be receiving their proposals.  I am told these typically take the form of a binder with multiple proposed options from each vendor.  Once we have all the proposals, we will be reviewing these with the staff and SPS.

Some time in March we hope to have narrowed the choices to a short list of options to share with the community for your feedback!