Danbury School Raising Funds for Special Needs Playground

DANBURY, CT. — Parents and teachers at Pembroke Elementary School have launched a fundraising campaign to pay for a new playground more accessible for students with special needs at the school.

The campaign is spearheaded by Leigh Viviano, a fifth-grade self-contained classroom teacher. She has named a goal of $150,000, which covers new equipment, its installation, removal of old equipment, grading and drainage. The current yard fills with water to the point that the teachers set out cones and yellow caution tape to keep students away. This puts recess recess out of reach for many of the school’s students, especially those who already face challenges, Viviano said.

“We need a playground that all of our children can use. We are doing this all together,” said principal Dr. Sharon Epple in a release.

Right now, Viviano says, children who can’t access the equipment just mill around the play yard because that’s all they can do. She said a new playground would add volumes to their confidence and skills.

Pembroke has been selected to serve a number of special needs students in the district and, therefore, has six classrooms, one at each grade level (kindergarten through fifth grade) devoted to children with special needs.

The school has set up a website where individuals can send tax-deductible donations and the school also started a GoFundMe page.

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