SHUTESBURY — As students sharpen their pencils and pack their knapsacks, Shutesbury Elementary School has something waiting for them: a new playground.
Students will slide into the new school year on the $30,000 playground funded by a Community Preservation Act grant.
“The old one was put in with love by parents over 20 years ago,” said Principal Jacqueline Mendonsa. “We were ready for an upgrade.”
The playground, which features slides, a bridge and other interesting features, will be unveiled to the community at a back-to school event Aug. 24.
According to Mendonsa, the event will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Children can check out the new playground, listen to a story and enjoy a treat a week before school begins.
“It’s going to be a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Mendonsa said. “The whole community is invited, there will be some teachers and we invited town officials because they had to vote to get the grant.”
The playground is a universal-use model that will be most popular with preschool through second-graders, Mendonsa said. The playground, which she says is safer than the old model, is easily accessible to parents, people with disabilities and students who require adult assistance throughout the day.
The grant to build the playground was written by a team of staff, parents and community members. It was purchased from Premier Park and Play, of Newton, and installed by experts to ensure safety. The year-long process included drafting a proposal, submitting an application, appearing before the Community Preservation Committee and voting on the playground at Town Meeting, Mendonsa said.
Several first grade school-choice spots are still open at Shutesbury Elementary. The school ranges from preschool to sixth grade and has one class per grade. There are 136 students enrolled.