GRAND ISLAND — Grand Island’s Newell Elementary School cut the ribbon on a new playground, after their previous equipment was destroyed by arson at the start of the school year.
To celebrate the return of playground equipment to Newell, a grand re-opening and ribbon cutting was held on Tuesday, April 30.
The arson that destroyed Newell’s previous playground took place on Aug 23. The Grand Island Police Department responded to the school at 5:31 p.m. for a fire that had engulfed the playground.
Members of the Grand Island Fire Department had to respond to the blaze when the heat index was reaching 105.
Juvenile males,15 and 16-years-old were cited for criminal mischief. The damage to the playground totaled $50,000.
Nate Balcom, Newell Elementary Principal, said to the 350 kindergarten – 5th grade students during the presentation that they had been without a playground for 1,600 days.
He said it was a “terrible day,” when the arson occurred, but the response from the school district and community had been overwhelming.
Balcom said the opening of the playground for the students had been much anticipated by both students and staff.
He said there were a lot of questions following the fire and a lull in construction during the winter, but they had the goal of opening the new playground before the school year was over.
Balcom said getting the new playground installed could not have been accomplished without the help of the Grand Island Public School district, their facilities and ground crews.
Speaking about the community response, Balcom said the morning after the fire, school board members had sent treats to the school and schools from across the district donated supplies and games for the students.
“It helped with the immediate hurt,” he said.
When asked how the students adjusted to having no playground for eight months, Balcom said it was a process and staff had to come up with different ideas for recess.
“Every couple week there has been a new plan and the students have been very adaptable,” said Balcom.
The construction process started in March with dirt work and the total process took a month and a half once the winter temperatures had been shed.
Danielle Dudo, a fourth-grade teacher at Newell Elementary, said, “We have been anticipating this day for months.”
She added that the students handled the situation well and she was so glad to see their smiles as they got a chance to use the new playground on Tuesday morning.
Dudo said students are so used to having a playground that it was a transition for them for the past couple of months. She said the teachers came up with indoor recess ideas or activities and this was aided by the amount of donations that came from the community.
Recalling all the support, Dudo said it was “overwhelming,” and said even the night of the fire, people were already reaching out and asking how they could help, or what the staff needed.
“It was just amazing how everybody came together from the community and the Grand Island Public School district to support us,” said Dudo.
