The ribbon was cut this week and, Barondeau said, “The children were very excited to get on the new playground.”

“The playground that opened this week is technically called the primary one and used mostly by students in the lower grades. The one that will be opened next is the secondary for older kiddos,” Barondeau said.

“Really, the kids can use either one,” the principal added.

Both playgrounds are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Students try out newly installed playground equipment at Carl G. Renn Elementary School in Lairdsville during a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. A year in the making, it is the first of two playgrounds at the school to get a make-over this Fall.

“We have a ramp that leads right up into the playground. And the one piece of equipment, the aero glide, is actually a piece of equipment that a wheelchair can be in on, and so they can participate on that particular piece of equipment. We have some sensory items, like some drums to play some music on, and bells to ring. And then we also have a handicap accessible swing, so it’s a little bit higher back and a little bit more like a seat belt type thing on it to keep them safely swinging,” Barondeau explained.

The playgrounds for Renn and also at Ashkar were financed through the district’s capital projects funds. Ashkar’s playgrounds are not expected to be installed until next year.

“The budget already had this available as part of some of their phases. Originally, when Ashkar was to be built and that kind of went by the wayside, we were able to do all of these other projects instead,” she said.

Renn also had some water mitigation issues corrected and some work on the roof.

“We were pretty lucky at Renn and didn’t need a whole lot of work,” Barondeau said.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Students try out newly installed playground equipment at Carl G. Renn Elementary School in Lairdsville during a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. A year in the making, it is the first of two playgrounds at the school to get a make-over this Fall.

So, here it is November and there is some cooler weather and maybe snowflakes in the forecast, but the students will still be using their new playground unless it turns very cold, Barondeau said.

“Typically, we will go outside unless it’s, you know, frigid. We do have a threshold in the winter time of the wind chill that we look for or if it’s pouring rain. But other than that, we try to get the kiddos outside for recess every day,” she said.

“We really appreciate the support of our Board of Ed that approved the use of the money, and certainly would like to thank Mr. Brian McCafferty and his whole crew — they did the spreading of the mulch. It’s our entire maintenance and custodial staff that really helped out with that, and without them, we would not have gotten it up and opened nearly as soon,” she said.

“So (we are) just really appreciative, and the patience of the kiddos as well. They were very patient because it’s been a long time for that,” she said.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Students try out newly installed playground equipment at Carl G. Renn Elementary School in Lairdsville during a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. A year in the making, it is the first of two playgrounds at the school to get a make-over this Fall.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Students try out newly installed playground equipment at Carl G. Renn Elementary School in Lairdsville during a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. A year in the making, it is the first of two playgrounds at the school to get a make-over this Fall.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Students race into a newly renovated playground at Carl G. Renn Elementary School in Lairdsville during a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. A year in the making, it is the first of two playgrounds at the school to get a make-over this Fall.