News | Article
from Fontana Herald News
North Tamarind Elementary School will
get a long-overdue makeover
by Bob Otto
Fontana (August 3, 2007) - North Tamarind Elementary
School fifth grader Francisco Cabrera didn't hold back: "It's
horrible," he said.
And the 11-year-old is right on the mark. The playground on
his school campus is horrible. The grass is overgrown and more
than six inches high; it's lumpy and bumpy and badly in need of
professional care.
But through the efforts of some caring volunteers, Francisco
may soon be playing on the playground of his dreams.
On Tuesday, Hands On Inland Empire held a Design Day at the
school. It's the first step in revitalizing a school badly in
need of a makeover.
As Larry Deckel clicked his remote, pictures -- one after the
other -- filled the 52-inch white screen. Pictures of new
playground equipment, beautiful murals, stone and paved
walkways, tidy gardens filled with colorful flowers and plants
flashed before the eyes of transfixed students and teachers.
The pictures of previous Hands On school makeovers had hit
their mark. Deckel, Hands On program manager, then said the
magic words, "Dream big."
And with that, the kids, teachers and parents drew pictures
of baseball diamonds, shade trees, and murals. And those bashful
about their artistic ability wrote out their dreams on a wish
list.
North Tamarind Principal Jason Angle took a practical
approach to his wishes. He is proud that the school's test
scores have risen over the past three years. Inside the
classrooms, students and teachers are performing well.
But from the street you wouldn't know it. People driving by
see brown and drab, he said. "The school has no curb appeal.
From the outside, you wouldn't know great things are happening
here."
But with the aid of The Home Depot, ESRI, 89.7 KSGN, the
Fontana Unified School District and several other sponsors, the
look of the school is about to change.
The Home Depot, led by the new store in southern Fontana,
will enlist about 250 volunteers to paint, build and repair the
old school.
"We're going to get our people involved in painting and
building from stores throughout the Inland Empire," said John
Valles, human resources manager of the south Home Depot store.
Sixth grade teacher Cynthia Smith has taught at the school
for 20 years. Her wish list? Fix the playground, fix the sinks,
and build tetherball courts and ball walls. "We want our
playground back to use comfortably and safely," said Smith. "The
kids are afraid because of the bumpy ground."
"I'd like to see something done with our playground so we can
have after-school programs," added kindergarten teacher Donna
Falcon. "Right now it's lumpy and dangerous."
And the old sinks in the bathrooms need to be replaced, said
Smith. They're the originals from 1952.
Most teachers and parents wanted practical matters handled
first: Build us backpack holders, an amphitheater, storage
compartments, and an outdoor classroom, requested some teachers.
And, said Angle, repair the broken and cracked asphalt -- "the
blacktop's important," he said. "It's a safety issue."
But the kids dreamed of new swings, new baseball and soccer
fields; murals and a walking track with an obstacle course;
handball walls and shade trees.
Will it all come to pass? Francisco hopes so. "I don't like
the way everything is messy," he said. "Things need to be
fixed."
On Oct. 4 and 6, Hands On, along with volunteers, school
staff, parents, city officials, and sponsors will begin the
revitalization.
To volunteer visit
www.HandsOnInlandEmpire.org or call Larry Deckel at
909-980-2857, ext. 208.
For those wishing to help sponsor the project, call Bryant
Fairley at 909-980-2857, ext. 223.
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