GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) – Palisades Elementary School in Gretna is preparing to welcome students back with a new playground designed to be accessible for all children, including those with disabilities.
- New inclusive playground opened at Palisades Elementary.
- This is one of several the district plans on opening in the coming year.
- "Hopefully this a good start for looking at an expanded part of a students day," said Teresa Berube, director of Zero to Five Services for Gretna Public Schools.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Palisades Elementary School in Gretna is preparing to welcome students back with a new playground designed to be accessible for all children, including those with disabilities.
The inclusive playground is the first completed project in Gretna Public Schools' initiative to add similar facilities to all elementary schools in the district.
"Hopefully this a good start for looking at an expanded part of a students day," said Teresa Berube, director of Zero to Five Services for Gretna Public Schools.
Berube explained that school is about teaching all students physical and social development, and this playground will help the district achieve that goal.
"We really wanted to incorporate things for kids with all disabilities, there a sensory section for kids that might be on the autism spectrum. We really tried to put a lot of thought into the purpose of the playground to prove the opportunity for all kids to get interaction with one another," Berube said.
The school has been planning and designing the playground for over a year. According to Berube, the inclusive playground will also help support the needs of the growing Gretna community.
The remaining elementary schools in the district will receive similar inclusive playgrounds in the coming years.
