Wind blows through your hair as you swing back and forth. The feeling of rust scraping your fingers as you clench the metal poles evokes a sense of nostalgia. Walking across the playground you notice broken slides, rusted equipment and scraps of your past as mulch finds its way into your shoes.
Coppell ISD has chosen to tackle aging campus playgrounds with Proposition A of the 2023 $321 million dollar bond.
Proposition A, which accounts for $269 million, funds all things related to school infrastructure. Schools are due for an upgrade with a focus on new flooring, roofing, painting, and especially updated playground equipment.
According to CISD Board of Trustees President David Caviness, $4.5 million is set aside for 10 of the 11 district elementary schools.
Every school except Canyon Ranch Elementary School will receive equipment upgrades. The mulch will be switched out for rubber tarmac, and playgrounds will be designed with accessibility in mind for special education students.
This project is taking place because parents and teachers have been surprised by the number of playground related injuries and the state of the playgrounds themselves.
“I always used to see my kid come home with cuts and bruises from the mulch,” Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt said. “His friends would always complain about the equipment and how most of it doesn’t work.”
CISD parents had been persuading administration to consider upgrades to playgrounds.
“I have three kids that go to school and play on the playgrounds,” Austin Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization member Rebecca Bailey said. “They always come home with different things about the playgrounds and we all wanted to see an improvement. Austin Elementary, being one of the oldest schools in Coppell, was overdue for an upgrade, and I am glad that it is finally in motion.”
As for the community outlook, there is support and appreciation from parents and staff regarding the new plan for the playgrounds.
“As a community everyone really appreciates the amount of attention and dedication that we as a board have put towards the schools,” trustee Jobby Matthew said. “I am a parent who is also glad that the schools are getting support and improving as a whole.”
Schools including Lakeside Elementary School, Austin Elementary School and the oldest campus, Pinkerton Elementary School, are all overdue for upgrades.
“My kids go to Austin Elementary, and they are always asking me when they will get new swings or better equipment,” Bailey said. “This bond is a great way to increase involvement within the school and allow for more families to be appreciative of Coppell schooling.”
The improvements also include improved and additional swings, as well as more space and accessibility for children with special needs and disabilities.
“We really tried to focus on and improve the playgrounds to match the community feedback,” Caviness said. “The biggest concerns were the slides going bad, the accessibility of the children, and the overall lack of viable equipment.” With the construction starting this spring, major upgrades will be made during the summer, and minor improvements will be made throughout the school year.
“The community is thrilled and families looking at Coppell will see that we as a district genuinely care about the schools and the future of our children,” Dr. Hunt said. “We are definitely going to look to improve upon our district as a whole in the future, but for now it is a start and an upgrade for sure.”
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