Board likely to fund playground at Samsel
May also shift 75 preschoolers to upper elementary school
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

Mike Macagnone

SAYREVILLE - School officials are looking to install a cleaner and safer playground at the Samsel Upper Elementary School (SUES).

The Board of Education expressed interest in seeking proposals for the construction of a blacktop playground at the SUES at its April 24 meeting after teacher Bonnie Brady discussed the need to provide the children with a better playing surface on the school playground.

The school was completed in 2004 without a playground, and Brady said the children currently play on a rocky surface, and frequently track dirt inside the building. She described the playing conditions as "hazardous."

Brady said that while she knows that the school budget is tight, partial funding is needed for the project and money is available through the original referendum to convert the old Samsel School to SUES.

"The project would benefit students for years to come," she told the board.

Students designed a new playground area and requested a free assessment from contractors regarding the cost, Brady said. She added that the PTO has raised $17,000 to build the playground, which is estimated to cost $30,000.

The estimate includes only paving, and Brady said there are no plans for a swing set or any other equipment to be put up on the site.

Board of Education President Michael Macagnone told the Suburban this week that the board will fund the entire playground project.

"The board felt that this is something the board should pay for," he said.

Parents have been asking that the board fund the work for some time, Macagnone said, adding that he admires the PTO for being proactive on the issue.

"I would prefer that the PTO use the money they raised for the children for field trips and other activities rather than for something that the board should have funded in the first place," Macagnone said.

School Business Administrator Emidio D'Andrea said at the meeting last week that there is over $3 million available for the board to use from the Samsel referendum. The leftover money can only be used for the SUES.

Board member Kevin Ciak said the project would be an appropriate use of funds.

"I support the project as well," Ciak said, "I think it's a good one."

Board member Thomas Biesiada said fencing should be provided for the playground as well, since the board is looking into the possibility of having students from Selover School move to the SUES.

"Let's do it right the first time," Biesiada said.

Superintendent of Schools Frank Alfano said no decision has been made on whether Selover School students in the preschool handicapped program will be moved to the SUES, as he is still in the process of researching the matter.

Addressing concerns from the board on maintaining the status of Selover School as a school, Alfano said that regardless of whether they move the program, there will be approximately two to four other programs at Selover School to keep the building active for the district.

If moved to SUES, the roughly 75 students from the preschool program would have a separate entrance and gym class from the upper elementary students, Alfano said.

The cost of moving the program will be minimal, and would be done with an internal moving crew, he said.

"The more I research this, the more I think it is the best thing for our children," Alfano said.

Macagnone said this week that the move is likely to happen.

"It's a win-win for everybody," he said.

Alfano is ensuring that the county rent two classrooms at the Selover School before the board moves forward with the move, Macagnone said, noting that the board will take public comment on the matter before making a decision at its May 15 meeting.

"It is a prudent management decision and allocation of resources," Macagnone said.

D'Andrea said that if the move were to take place, the students would have separate areas to play on the playground, without a fence. Ciak later told the Suburban that the board is looking into whether a fence should be included.

Resident Barbara Kilcomons commended Bonnie Brady and the students of SUES for their work on designing and requesting a free assessment for the SUES playground project.

"I feel that this is long overdue," Kilcomons said. "This is a project that should not have been the PTO's responsibility. This should have been the board's."

The blacktop would improve the cleanliness of the school, increase safety for the children playing outside, and it would be a public playground for local residents to use, Brady said.

"It would be an improvement to the town as well," Brady said.

The cost of the playground represents less than 1 percent of the referendum money, Macagnone said.

"This is a perfect example, when the administration, board, parents and teachers get together, good things happen for the kids," Macagnone said.

"I look forward to playing a game of hopscotch with the kids," he added.