Since the beginning of this school year, it's been wonderful to see our children enjoying the new play structures at Sequoia.  Many of you are probably wondering, though, what's being done with the $35,000 we raised last year for other areas of Playground Improvement?  Well, there's plenty of good news on that note.  Within the next year, we plan on making the design included below, a reality.

To start, the School District's Buildings and Grounds will finally be repaving our school yard.   They will be doing extensive work to level the playground so that Lake Sequoia will no longer appear after our winter rains.  They will also be laying down decomposed granite for pathways, irrigation sleeves and topsoil in areas that will eventually be landscaped.  The District will also be paying for 25 new benches throughout our playground.

We had originally been negotiating for the District to cover landscaping costs, but with budget-tightening at the District and State level, we're currently waiting on a response to having the landscaping and irrigation completed as part of a work day by a local District contractor.  Otherwise, we've put money aside to pay for this.  The landscaping will include a native garden strip around the Kindergarten mulberry trees, trees to shade the upper grade structure, vines in planter boxes along Hearst Street, and an outdoor courtyard with enough circular seating for an entire classroom.  There will also be 3 or more accessible tables near the cafeteria.

 

The District also plans on removing the junipers outside of the school's fence line on Hearst Street.  The District has been doing this from school site to site since junipers harbor rodents and rubbish.  They will instead be replaced by native plants.

Principal Trammell is also currently making connections with prospective muralists to beautify our school walls.  At the upcoming Parent Work Day on April 19, Dads' Club members are hoping to rally parents who show up, to paint the Hearst Street wall, and trying to resolve the rust run-off from the fencing.

There are many other changes that will be taking place as part of this playground beautification process within the next year.  Stay tuned for any work day announcements, when we'll ALL BE NEEDED to make Sequoia's playground vision come true. 

For questions or comments, please contact Playground Chair, Giovanna Queeto/  510-316-1957 or jojo@queeto.com

Amendments to this design:
*Hearst Street plants along fenceline not accurate.  Vegetation will be more sparse, to limit interference with ball games.   Upper right corner will NOT have any plantings or vegetation.  It will be paved.