The Brownsville Independent School District dedicated 23 new Play & Park playground structures at a digital ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning in which all 23 school principals welcomed the new facilities into use.
Play & Park Structures of Southern Texas installed the playgrounds at 23 of BISD’s 34 elementary campuses over the past eight months, with installations scheduled over the coming months at the remaining 11 schools.
BISD invested $60,000 per school, $1.3 million total, at the initial 23 schools, with $600,000 to be invested at the remaining schools for a total of $1.9 million, Superintendent Rene Gutierrez said.
“We’re here to celebrate and to let our students and families know that playgrounds are essential,” Gutierrez said. “They provide health benefits. They have a profound emotional impact. They open the doors to imagination and teach kids about cooperating and working together.”
Gutierrez also said playgrounds provide “opportunities for kids to practice skills that ultimately will become adult competencies, such as the ability to collaborate with others, develop decision-making skills and successfully take on leadership roles.”
Drue Brown, BISD facilities committee chairwoman, said most people still remember their first playground experiences even as adults. She said the district also plans to upgrade the mini-gymnasiums at elementary schools districtwide by adding air-conditioning and other features to make them into mini multi-purpose facilities.
Skinner Elementary School Principal Mary E. Rodriguez, said students at her school were already making use of the new playground almost as soon as it was installed, which didn’t take long. The Play & Park Structure was installed between two buildings, went up in a matter of days and made a great addition to the campus, she said.
The new structures come with their own curriculum called “Play On” and are also well suited to free play, Jeff Mankins, San Antonio-based consultant for Play & Park structures, aid.
He and Gutierrez said BISD will become a national model for the Play & Park system.
“BISD is very proud to have this type of playground because it will offer the opportunity to exercise to everyone,” Gutierrez said.
