Lansing USD469's ribbon-cutting ceremony was a tremendous success and drew a crowd of students, families, and community members to celebrate the installation of the district's first adaptive and accessible playground equipment—the We-Go Swing with a new smooth surface containing recycled rubber. Superintendent Kobza kicked off the event by expressing gratitude to all who donated, highlighting the collective effort that made this project possible.
This event and playground equipment would not have been possible without the hard work and determination of teacher Christina Mills and her 2022-2023 third-grade class who worked to solve a problem: Lansing Elementary School's playground was not accessible to all students, particularly those who use wheelchairs or walkers. The existing rubber chip substrate and traditional equipment, often featuring ladders and stairs, left some students unable to join in on playtime. Recognizing this issue, Mrs. Mills's third-grade class approached her with a solution—creating a dream playground that allowed everyone to play together.
With guidance from STEM teacher Mrs. Suzanne Phillips, the students designed an accessible playground featuring five pieces of equipment tailored to accommodate all abilities. They presented to the Lansing USD469 Board of Education in January 2023 and gained attention from KMBC-9. Click here to read that story.
After many fundraising efforts and the help of many people in our community, the swing and smooth surface was made possible this school year. Additional funding came from a matching Waste Tire Grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the USD469 Supplemental General Fund.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 20, Mrs. Mills shared the history of the project, introduced her students, and gave the go-ahead to cut the ribbon. Student Micah Slattery, alongside his sister and classmates, had the honor of cutting the ribbon.
Lansing USD469 is incredibly grateful to all the students, board members, and community members who supported this endeavor.
The ultimate goal is to build and enhance the accessible equipment throughout the district. If you would like to donate to enhance accessible equipment throughout the district, please click here.
