Dear Wilson Parents and Guardians,
In October, the district hired a construction consultant, Estes Construction, to complete a facility condition assessment. The report highlights needs in each northside school, ranks them, and provides an estimated cost to complete. This information was publicly shared with the Board of Education at their December work session.
Based on this recent information, and the sizeable and costly renovations needed at both Horace Mann and Wilson Elementary, the board is considering all options in order to best serve our students..
In light of these recent developments, it is in the best interest to place the Wilson Playground Project on hold. It would not be the best use of these hard-earned funds to build a new playground at a school whose future is uncertain. It is unfortunate that this information wasn’t known two years ago when fundraising began. However, if the board decided to build a new facility, then using these funds at that site would be good stewardship. I am confident that the funds will still have a positive impact on Wilson Elementary students. Whatever is decided, these funds will be used to support recreational play for those students.
Since there is no definite decision or timeline for next steps, I plan to continue with some playground upgrades this summer. These upgrades will provide additional play equipment to our school and increased opportunities for active play. Improvements planned include: purchase two new tube slides; installation of soccer goals; and paint to include basketball courts, kickball court, soccer lines, four-square, hopscotch, etc.
I also serve as a member of the district’s facility committee. My commitment is to keep you informed as decisions are made and celebrate the construction of a new playground at some point in the future. While we have some challenging decisions to make, I am excited about the opportunities for the students and families at Wilson Elementary School.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 641-684-5441. I sincerely thank you for your past support of our school and I hope you continue to support our efforts to engage, educate, and empower every student every day.
Sincerely,
Jeff Hendred