Students to build own playground

Coleridge Middle School students will be building new playground equipment this fall.

LCC Middle School Principal Mark Leonard shared the progress of new additions to the school park.

“Our middle school is always looking for ways to incorporate learning projects with our students and to provide more learning opportunities for them,” he said.

Leonard applied for and received $412.64 through the Coleridge Area Community Fund Grant for the construction of two seesaws, two square picnic tables, two sitting benches and a tetherball apparatus.

The projects will be completed during WIN (Whatever is Needed) time, part of the schedule where students are able to receive whatever is needed academically, whether it is reading or math interventions or academic enrichment opportunities, Leonard said.

The new playground work will be spearheaded by Life Skills students under the direction of Shannon Benson and Eric DePew.

“Our Life Skills group is one of those academic enrichment opportunities where our students are able to learn different life skill projects, such as woodworking, car maintenance, and even personal health and hygiene concepts,” Leonard said.

Leonard said updated playground equipment is a positive for students as well as families in Coleridge.

The middle school is growing more programs and opportunities for the upcoming year and the playground equipment is just the start of it, he said.

The school has also been awarded a rural technology grant to fund a 3D printer and programmable robots.

“We will be looking for new and exciting ways to further add to this program in the future,” Leonard said.