Thanks to our partnership with Playworks, we have seen amazing changes and transformations in our students here at Academy Park. We’d love to see that continue, but to do so, we’ll need your help to reach our donation goal!
Why Playworks?
Since bringing Playworks to our school three years ago, we have fewer behavioral problems. Physical fighting is now a rare occurrence and kids feel safer at school. This alone is worth having the program at our school, however, Playworks is more than that. Through this program, kids also learn to resolve conflicts using positive strategies like Ro Sham Bo (paper/rock/scissors) and other friendly games.
Playworks encourages inclusive and vigorous play with a wide range of games played at every recess. Our kids love these games and cannot wait to participate. Because of this, everyone plays and no one is left out. With greater participation, our students have improved mental and physical health. They’re finding friends and learning to work together in positive ways.
After recess, our students return to the classrooms ready to learn. We’ve seen that the transition from recess to classroom is faster with no lost learning time. Having played hard and enjoyed themselves, our kids are bringing that high, productive energy back into the classroom where they’re more engaged and eager to learn. In turn, this has lead to greater learning retention.
Our students love this program, and we do to! Thanks to Playworks, we’ve seen many positive changes at Academy Park. Help us keep this program at our school by donating now. Thank you!
A Letter from Our Principal
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Dear Potential Sponsor,
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Community Council and students of Academy Park Elementary in West Valley City, Utah to request your assistance in providing a safe, bully-free learning environment for our students. For the past three years we have partnered with Playworks, a national organization dedicated to creating recess and play environments where all kids feel included, stay active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. Unfortunately, for the coming school year our funding sources have been greatly reduced and we are unable to continue this valuable partnership without additional local support. Yet, the need for such a program continues to be vital to our community as more than 60% of our students are below the poverty level and nearly one third do not speak English at home.
It has been evident over the past three years to our Community Council, teachers, parents, and students themselves that Playworks has transformed our school culture by providing expert mentoring via an onsite recess coach. Behavior incidents have been reduced by more than half, children are more inclusive and vigorous in their play, and recess has become a productive part of the school day as students return to the classroom with minds and bodies ready to learn. For more information about Playworks and its mission you are invited to access the website playworks.org/Utah.
I request your support for our children by donating specifically toward the cost of keeping Playworks at our school. This funding will provide a recess coach full time for one week per month for the entire school year. In exchange, and as our way to thank you for your support, we invite you to experience the benefits of Playworks at our school once school resumes in September. Feel free to stop by to participate in recess at any time. We will also happily promote your business within our school community in whatever ways are most appropriate.
To make your contribution, please visit the Granite Education Foundation website, a non-profit organization that helps ensure educational equity for all children in Granite School District. They have graciously offered to facilitate your donation so it can be easily received by the school and be tax deductible for you or your business. Please select a donation amount that works for you.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please know that your donation will ensure that the children of Academy Park enjoy ongoing safe, purposeful, and healthy play every day they come to school. I am happy to discuss this partnership opportunity further with you at your convenience. I can be reached by phone at 385-646-4750 or by email at plongberg@graniteschools.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Pauline Longberg
Principal
