Struggle To Water Trees At Elmhurst School: PTA Official

ELMHURST, IL – An official from the PTA at an Elmhurst elementary school has planted 16 trees, but the group said it is struggling to get access to water.

The group got permission to plant the trees at Fischer Elementary School on Elmhurst's north side. But nearby faucets aren't working, the PTA official said.

Last week, the PTA's treasurer, Amy Lippert, emailed officials from Elmhurst School District 205 about the issue. She told Patch she was speaking for herself, not the PTA.

She said that while the group waits for a reliable water source, she will seek a donation of mulch that can go a long way to keep the trees hydrated and healthy.

"If the district is going to rely on the PTAs and parents to fund and execute any and all landscaping plans for our schools, couldn't they at least provide us with some working spigots to water the plants and trees that we provide?" Lippert said.

In response, Superintendent Keisha Campbell said the district was grateful for the attention and investment in the beautification of Fischer. She said school officials would follow up.

"It is the responsibility of the District to maintain the landscaping around each of our 14 campuses," Campbell said.

In an email to Patch, District 205 spokeswoman Tonya Daniel said the district's facilities team stopped by the school as soon as it was notified of the issue.

"They were able to determine that there was a working spigot nearby, but the one closest to the landscaping was not working due to a pipe freeze during the winter months," Daniel said.

The district has scheduled maintenance for the nonworking spigot for June, she said. The district wanted to wait until students were out of the building because of the required concrete and masonry work, she said.

Fischer is Elmhurst's largest elementary school.