{ title: 'The Altamont enterprise and Albany County post. (Altamont, N.Y.) 2006-current, March 16, 2006, Page 6, Image 6', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/2006245259/2006-03-16/ed-1/seq-6/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/2006245259/2006-03-16/ed-1/seq-6.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/2006245259/2006-03-16/ed-1/seq-6/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/2006245259/2006-03-16/ed-1/seq-6/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Guilderland Public Library
The Altantont Entemri^ : ^hW8^y>M^^hl!^?f^?. By Melissa Hale-Spencer GUILDERLAND — The lead- ers of the Guilderland Elemen- tary School PTA are serious about play. They have just launched a cookie-dough sale, the latest in a series of fund-raisers for new playgrounds at the school. Irene Jurek, who chairs the playground committee for the Parent-Teacher Association, paused for a moment Monday from her work assembling pack- ets for the cookie-dough sale, to flip through reams of research that show the importance of play. Topics ranged from the ability of students to concentrate better after they've exercised to the importance of recess for psycho- social reasons. \In the classroom, the teacher is there,\ said Jurek. \In the playground, the children make the rules. They have to learn how to share, and take turns.\ \If this playground needs to come down, all that would be left is open space for play,\ said PTA President Carmen Valverde. She also said that the new play- grounds will be accessible to stu- dents with handicaps. Currently, the school has two playgrounds, built, in the early 1980's. The small playground is used by kindergartners and stu- dents in the programs run by the Board of Cooperative Educa- tional Services. The large play- ground is used by students in first through fifth grades. The playgrounds, said Jurek, \are at the end of their useful life.\ The new small playground will cost about $38,000 and the new large playground will cost about $58,000. The women stressed that there is no money in the school-district budget for playgrounds. Their hope is tnat the cookie- dough sale, which runs through March 23, will bring in the final funds needed for the kindergar- ten playground. \At this point, we have $34,000,\ said Valverde. \We're hoping to raise at least $3,000.\ Arsenic concerns The wood components in the playgrounds have caused con- cerns. There are problems with bees and splinters, said Valverde. Also, in 2003, the Consumer Product Safety Commission af- firmed that arsenic-treated wood — meant to foil bugs and prevent rot — poses health risks to chil- dren, who frequently put their hands in their mouths. Arsenic can cause lung and bladder can- cer. \Kids and arsenic don't mix,\ said Jurek. Neil Sanders, the school dis- trict's assistant superintendent for business, told The Enterprise earlier that several of the dis- trict's schools have wooden play structures. He said the school playgrounds have not been tested for arsenic because there is no requirement to do so. Suzanne Ackerman, a press of- ficer for the federal Environ- mental Protection Agency, con- firmed that no tests are required. \There was a voluntary phase- out,\ she told The Enterprise earlier. She was referring to a 2002 EPA announcement that the wood industry had voluntar- ily agreed to phase out wood treated with CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenic) for residentiaL- use by the end of 2003. The EPA stated, however, it did not believe treated w.pod is used just about everywhere.\ Three years of fund-raising The new playgrounds at Guilderland Elementary will not use wood, hut rather rigid plas- tic-covered steel components. The non-wood parts of the old playgrounds — including swing sets and a rock-climbing wall — will be incorporated into the new play spaces. 'We're hoping to raise at least $3,000.' The Enterprise — Melissa Hale-Spencer Hard at work: Guilderland PTA President Carmen Valverde, left, and Irene Jurek, who chairs the playground committee, as- semble packets Monday morning for a cookie-dough sale to pay for a new kindergarten playground. The sale runs through March 23. Jurek has two children in the school — first-grader, Thomas, and second-grader, Adrianna. \Next year, my four-year old will reap the benefits of the new playground,\ she said. Valverde also has two older children, and a four-year-old who will attend Guilderland Elementary School next year. there was any reason to remove or replace existing arsenic- treated structures. It's, up to the consumer,\ said Ackerman. \There is no legal requirement for a school to re- move existing play sets treated with CCA. They can coat it with a sealant.\ Ackerman stated, \EPA does not believe there is a need for consumers or schools to remove existing structures, such as play- ground equipment...However, the guidance we have issued for consumers in working with CCA-treated wood is also appli- cable to schools.\ She added, \It certainly would be a good idea for schools to check precautions, to keep any- one from coming into direct con- tact with sawdust.\ Sanders said that the Guilder- land School District annually treats its wooden playgrounds with sealant. He said that the district, also follows the other two EPA guide- lines: Staff have children wash their hands after using the play- ground; and no food contact is allowed With the wood. Sanders concluded: \Pressure- This kindergarten playground, built by Parkitects, will replace current wooden structures from the 1980's with plastic-covered steel components. The cost is $38,227. PTA leaders at Guilderland Elemen- tary School hope a current cookie-dough sale will bring in the $3,000 needed to complete the purchase. The equipment is being pur- chased from Parkitects, a family- owned company chosen by a PTA committee that considered several alternatives, said Val- verde. \This is our third year raising money,\ she said. Money has come from a score of fund-raising efforts, including the sale of gifts, entertainment books, and hams. The PTA has also hosted sev- eral family-friendly activities, including a harvest dinner, a bowlathon, a carnival, and two golf outings. \The teachers had a raffle with donated items like a walk in the park with the principal,\ said Valverde. \The kids bought tick- ets. It was school-wide.\ Guilder- land Elementary has 585 stu- dents, she said. A bulletin board outside of the cafeteria, titled \Slide to Suc- cess,\ has pictures of the pro- posed play equipment. The cen- ter of the board has a giant slide, with red paper blocks marking the amount of money raised so far. The PTA leaders are well aware of concerns about child- hood obesity. A plan to give away free cookies to students this week to kick off the sale was canceled because of health con- cerns, particularly for students with nut allergies. \Our bake sales are getting healthier,\ said Jurek, noting granola bars and fruit are replac- ing brownies. \But the cookies always sell first,\ said Valverde. She went on to stress that, with the current cookie-dough sale, kids are not being targeted. \We're not selling them to the kids; we're selling them to the parents,\ she said. \They control what the kids eat.\ Sally Foster, which markets its product as \Premium Collection Gourmet Cookie Dough,\ says that 40 percent of the purchase price goes to the school. The dough comes in 10 flavors and can be stored in a freezer for a year. \Cookies are a big money- maker,\ said Valverde. The new playground equip- ment is tentatively scheduled for delivery on July 17, said Jurek, which means the money has to be raised by June 17. \That's why we need this sale to be a success,\ she said. •A ATTENTION DOG OWNERS Tired of cleaning up your yard after your dog? Or maybe you just don't have the time? WHEN ftoofHi ©MdL is an experienced, fully-insured pooper-scooper service now serving Guilderland. Call 724-5125 ore-mail us your name and address, and we will send you info: whendoodiescall@yahoo.com HELDERBERG OIL QuaCity Hqm0M&ja,dna Oil **->< V s \'' \\\ \\\«i>>3 Due to current market conditions, please call for price. We accept HEAP Quantity Discounts Cash, check or credit card on delivery m Custody Support • Visitation Separation Agreements Pensions/IRA Jo ANN E. COUGHTRY Practice Limited Exclusively To Matrimonial & Family Law Since 1991 *t& 4382 Western Turnpike Guilderland, NI.Y. 12084 w«w£j##pP^^^S#a&;^ ff=i:!wH^JiS!=fiS=!==Saa =3jPjJ.
