Seltice Elementary getting new structure for playground

Students at Seltice Elementary School in Post Falls are just weeks from enjoying a new piece of playground equipment.

The school’s playground equipment is old and shabby, and the Parent-Teacher Organization had been working to raise money to replace it.

Last year, when a group of fourth-graders wrote a letter to Principal Mike Uphus asking for better playground equipment, he told them about the PTO’s fundraising efforts.

“I was so impressed with the way they approached it,” Uphus said. “I think it really resonated with a lot of parents.”

The PTO kicked up its fundraising efforts this year, selling hot cocoa once a week during recess for a month and other activities.

Kids voted on their favorite playground design by dropping change in jars for each design. The ones they didn’t like got pennies; the one they did got silver.

PTO member Katy Klein is leading the efforts, Uphus said.

Klein pitched the idea of getting some piece of equipment on the playground this year so the fifth-graders – last year’s fourth-graders who wrote the letter – could enjoy it before leaving Seltice.

“We wanted to just make sure there was something there for them to enjoy this year,” she said.

Klein said the company she ordered the new structure from gave her a discount. Originally priced at nearly $10,000 including installation fees, the equipment ended up costing only $4,807. But it’ll have to be installed by someone from the district or by parent volunteers.

All the money wasn’t raised this year – most of it came from past PTO fundraisers.

The structure will be located on the playground used by third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, but the school will have the kids switch playgrounds one day so the younger kids can use it, too.

Klein is hoping to have the structure installed sometime in April.

“It definitely will happen before school’s out because that is the promise we made the kids,” she said.

The new structure will be green and blue – Seltice colors.