Mills River Elementary School Playground & Recess Area Updates

With generous support from fundraising efforts over the past few years, a few improvements have been made to our playground areas and we’ve begun making plans for an even greater outdoor recess area renovation. We are breaking down the updates into two stages.

1st Stage

With the funds raised during 2021-2023 we have purchased an enormous climbing and spinning contraption called the REV8 (which is also handicap accessible) that we will have installed during our spring break this year!

We will have approximately $8k remaining from the initial funds raised in 2021-2023 to put toward the next stage of updates

Bird's Eye View of Recess-Area and Planned Track, Retaining Walls, and Stairs
REV8 by Barrs Equipment

2nd Stage

We have created a list of dreams for the greater outdoor recess area that includes:

  • Currently Underway: Building a shaded sandbox area to provide a sensory area for students - this project is still in the works :) but it’s getting close to being completed

  • An ADA compliant walking/running/biking path that is about 1/2 mile long

  • A stage for our blossoming drama kids

  • STEAM areas where we are able to track rainwater levels, observe weathervanes, draw with chalk, utilize musical instruments made from nature, and observe butterfly gardens.

  • A tiny library where kids can sit back and relax while reading a book

  • Revamped picnic tables

  • Stormwater and erosion control

  • Stairs for ease of access to outdoor recess area and the school from the Academy’s parking lot

  • Retaining walls to cut into various hills and provide space for the walking/biking/running path

  • Clearing brush adjacent to the kickball and soccer fields

  • Shady spaces for students and teachers

  • Additional seating areas for teachers

Here are things that have been in the works and will be coming up:

  • Obtained a $20k trail grant - Thanks Mrs. Hogan for doing that leg work on this one!!!

  • Meeting with engineers for a site plan

  • Meeting with local trail builders and getting their insights and support for the trail

  • Meeting with county maintenance leaders to ensure we are doing things in the proper order

  • Working on getting many more grants (if you want to be part of our grant writing team please let us know! We would love to have some more assistance emails us millsriverschoolPTO@gmail.com )

  • And that is as far as we have planned for the moment… but it seems like a really good place to start!

If you have any questions or ideas please reach out MillsRiverSchoolPTO@gmail.com. We would love to hear them!!!

Playground Volunteer Action Day - February 2024

Playground Volunteer Action Days

  • We had our 1st Playground Action Day where we were able to use generous donations from Home Depot to build a shaded sandbox and remove the fencing in preparation of our planned trail build

  • We have scheduled our next Action Day where we have the BIG equipment coming out to pull poles and fill holes. So this one will not be one for the kiddos as we need to keep everyone safe

  • Our 3rd Playground Volunteer Action Day will be scheduled to take apart and move the Gaga pit in order to allow work to begin on installing the REV8 (that awesome climbing spinning thing we mentioned earlier)

  • Our 4th Playground Action Day will be used to clear out as much of the side lot next to the kickball and soccer fields. This should leave a good base for the trail builders to come in starting this summer/fall to do their work