Funding allows for a new playground at Saddlewood Elementary

By Kathryn Taleporos

February 17, 2022

Saddlewood Elementary hopes to break ground on a new playground this spring. The old playground will be torn down, and the community will have an opportunity to pitch in and build a new space for students to learn and grow.

This project has been a priority throughout the district for several years. It was made possible this year by federal funding, said Mrs. Stacey Wranesh, the principal at Saddlewood Elementary.

The district received a state grant of $5,000 for each elementary school. The district was also able to tap into COVID relief funds which gave each elementary school an additional $25,000, Wranesh said. This provided each elementary school with a total of $30,000 in funds to enhance or replace their playgrounds.

“This is what many elementary principals are calling a COVID rainbow'', said Mrs. Wranesh, where there is now an opportunity to expand on our playgrounds or improve them.”

In total, Saddlewood was able to spend $60,000 on a new playground, Mrs. Michelle Irons, the Saddlewood PTA President, said that the PTA could donate money to the district to increase their funding.

The community has been looking forward to the opportunity to have a new playground. The playground committee in the Saddlewood PTA has been discussing this playground since before COVID.

The Saddlewood playground is so outdated that Mrs. Irons says that the entire structure needs to be taken down before the new one can be put in. Although many PTA members wanted to keep the existing playground, for safety reasons, it had to be taken down.

The new playground will be similar to the old structure, but according to the Saddlewood principal, Mrs. Wranesh, the playground will better suit the developmental needs of students in grades 3 and 4.

Dr. Perry, the superintendent for South Colonie, said in an article on the South Colonie school website, “In addition to the physical benefits- the space also provides a natural setting for students to interact outside of the classroom where many life skills are learned. As we begin to evaluate the overall needs of the district, rebuilding these outdoor spaces for students has definitely been a priority for us.”

In addition to the new playground being exciting to students, Mrs. Irons says that the playground will be meaningful to the community because of how it will be set up.

Mrs. Irons said that the playground company will supply Saddlewood with the supplies that they need to build the playground, however, the community will be responsible for putting it all together. Because the community will be involved in the set up of the playground, it will be more special.