NK School Community Hopes to Rename Playground after Beloved Teacher

The community at Stony Lane Elementary School wants to rename its new playground to honor a beloved teacher who left the world much too soon last year, Pamela J. Lemoi.

Lemoi taught kindergarten at the school since 2002 and was an inspiring force of kindness as well as a master educator.

The school community reeled when Lemoi’s lost her battle with cancer in October and ever since, school families have been thinking of ways to honor her memory.

The suggestion to rename the new playground, which was built last summer, soon garnered widespread support. It made sense, since the playground is new and it was a project that wouldn’t have come to fruition if not for her smart advice and guidance along the way.

It took two years to raise $100,000 and there were obstacles along the way.

“We were constantly inspired by one of our teachers — Ms. Pamela Lemoi,” wrote Janine Patil, PTO vice president in a letter to the North Kingstown Town Council. “I remember Ms. Lemoi sharing with me stories of when her children were younger and that she had led the charge for building a new playground at their school. Ms. Lemoi was an inspiration to our entire committee and propelled the project into its end stages.”

The PTO is formally asking the Town Council to approve the name change. The matter is on its agenda Monday night following the the submission of a formal petition by the PTO this week.

If approved, Ultiplay, the company that oversaw the playground installation, would install a new sign and has offered to provide tools and cement to install it for free.

Lemoi is remembered for her seemingly limitless energy, compassion for others and pouring her heart and soul into her students and her profession.

She won the North Kingstown Teacher of the Year award in 2011.

To this day, through lasting memories, Lemoi continues to teach important lessons and those she left behind want to make sure that her loving spirit is kept alive at Stony Lane.

“It would mean the world to our families, children and staff to be able to dedicate our new playground to such a special individual,” Patil wrote. “Ms. Lemoi truly is Stony Lane’s Teaching Treasure.”