SUSSEX — On a Tuesday afternoon, dozens of Richmond School District students took a field trip just outside their classroom.
As their superintendent cut a ribbon, they erupted in cheers for their new playground.
“From a distance, you could see them building it which I think is really cool,” Luella Suss, a second grader, smiled.
“This one’s cool because it’s new. New playgrounds get a lot of people excited.”
Students like Suss spent the afternoon climbing the jungle gym, going down the slide, and laughing with friends.
The project has been four years in the making with the help of the school’s PTO, parents, and even local businesses like Kelly Greenscapes and Forever Lawn Milwaukee.
“It’s awesome seeing these kids scream. There were hundreds of hours volunteered by PTO and parents who aren’t even part of it. To look at it and say ‘we did this’ is exciting,” Gina Droegkamp, a PTO Special committee member, said.
The school’s superintendent, Dr. Jeanne Siegenthaler, said the playground and new turf cost almost $100,000.
“These playground structures are very expensive, but we have such great families who wanted to see this happen in such a short amount of time,” Siegenthaler said before cutting the ribbon.
The school has 410 kids ranging from preschool to eighth grade. The PTO and leadership teams saw the current playground needed repairs and got to work fundraising.
“It turned out way better than I envisioned. Seeing the kids play, laugh, and get along, this is what it’s all about,” Siegenthaler smiled.
Suss said not only is it great for them, but for all kids in Sussex and beyond.
“This is not only for school kids, this is for everyone. If you have nothing else to do on a weekend you can come here.”
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