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Wampus Principal Debra Cagliostro thanked the Byram Hills Education Foundation and the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund for generously funding the playground, and school and district staff members for making the project a reality.
“Recess holds a special place in the hearts of school-age children, and the playground is an essential part of our school and community,” Cagliostro said at the October ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Along with promoting more physical activity, the playground will also reinforce academic concepts of shapes, colors and numbers, Cagliostro said.
In the new “Peaceful Playground,” children can choose from nearly 100 activities ranging from hopscotch and foursquare to beanbag tosses and ball games.
Teacher Suzanne Milano, the foundation grant chair at Wampus, said the playground will help build social skills by providing more opportunities for children to play together without having to compete.
"Students are learning the games during physical education classes," said Milano. "Having a common set of rules means fewer arguments between children over the right' way to play a game. It also provides a way to resolve conflicts that do arise. There are games for two children, small groups or an entire class.
Wampus staff participated in a webinar to learn playground rules and ways to help children use conflict resolution skills when problems arise.
David Yale said his family was happy that the playground would honor the memory of his wife, Debra, who was a strong believer in education and supporting children in all aspects of learning.
“All three of our children attended Wampus, so it is especially fitting to honor her memory with this grant,” he said.
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