NPPS – Outdoor Classroom Closed Due to Vandalism
North Platte, Neb. – Due to ongoing vandalism of the Buffalo Early Learning Center Outdoor Classroom, the school will close entry/ exit gates at 5:00 p.m. through May 19, 2022. Destruction in the outdoor classroom reported last fall led the district to close the space for two weeks.
Director of the Buffalo Early Learning Center, Peggy Romshek, said, “we have incurred over $10,000 in damages to the outdoor classroom in the past several months.” Romshek went on to add that video surveillance of the outdoor space has helped in holding vandals accountable for their actions; however, this has not been enough to slow the number of broken items, unsupervised children, or trash being left behind by users.
The outdoor classroom at the learning center engages young learners in education through play. The space is funded through tax-payer dollars, grants, and sponsorships from school and community members. Romshek added, “we take pride in the learning space for our students and want to spend the money allocated to the center on enhancements, not replacements due to misuse after school hours.”
Please note; that entry/ exit gates will be locked at 5:00 p.m. through May 19, 2022. The outdoor classroom will remain closed throughout the summer for repairs and will only be open for district-approved educational purposes.
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