The faculty and staff at Franklin School, Kearny, are looking to improve the playground at the school and are turning to the community for help.
The current playground, seen in the photo with this story, is “outdated,” Heather Klein, a special education teacher at Franklin, said. They’re looking to get rid of the wood chip because her students sometimes try to eat the chips.
Klein also says the hope is to replace the equipment that is more “sensory friendly,” which would allow the kids to develop senses and even soothe and keep them calmer.
The specific playground she’s got in mind runs around $80,000.
Anyone who desires to help may do so by dropping off a check to the Kearny Board of Education’s office on Midland Avenue with “Michelle Sammaro Playground” in the check’s memo. Or, you may also send donations, via Venmo, @michellesammarofund.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.