Deer Park School Boosters Home in on New Playground Fundraising Efforts

The county’s longest-running school is fundraising in the hopes of bringing something new to its campus: an up-to-date playground.

“Everything’s super old and constantly needing repairs, and we’ve had kids who have broken their arms,” said Samantha Olson, the booster club’s president and a para-educator at Deer Park School.

The Deer Park School building was first constructed in 1921. That building remains in use for the K-8 school district today. In the years since, the campus’ renovations have largely come because of volunteer efforts or donations. The Quonset Hut was donated in the 1960s; a new building was added on land donated to the district in the 1980s; a gym was built by volunteer efforts in 2001; and in 2014 the community gathered more than $11,000 in funds for a new pump house.

The district attempted a $4 million bond in May to construct a new building, replacing the Quonset Hut. The bond failed at the ballot box.

Still, Olson says updates remain a need for the county’s oldest school district, particularly as it grapples with modern issues, like a growing population in the Flathead Valley. Those updates include the playground.

The playground’s main structure, built out of wood and adorned with a yellow slide, has posed safety issues. A bridge on the structure has seen several repairs; the swing set is old and unsafe; and a set of makeshift monkey bars on the playground are crooked, Olson said.

Deer Park School serves students in grades K-8. But older students at the school can’t play on some of the playground structures. The playground equipment is too small to accommodate the older students.

Olson, who monitors two recess shifts each day as a para-educator, said building a new playground emerged as a priority for the booster club about three years ago. The boosters’ goal is to replace the main structure with a new one that can accommodate all students safely. That includes making the equipment accessible for students with disabilities, too.

The cost of the new equipment, installation and other work to make sure the playground is accessible sits around $80,000.

In their three years of fundraising thus far, Olson said the boosters have raised around $20,000. Olson said raising that sum has been no small feat, given the booster club’s makeup of only six people. But she estimated at that rate, it could take upwards of a decade to raise the funds. Still, it’s something she views as important for the district.

“There’s kids who are like, ‘I don’t understand why I can’t play on that,’” Olson said. “To bring something that they can all enjoy would be huge.”

A GoFundMe page for the new equipment lists a $1,300 goal. Part of the funds — $875 — have already been raised.

“And this playground won’t just serve our students — it will become a gathering place for the entire community,” the GoFundMe states. “Deer Park families don’t have a public park within walking distance, so this space would give local children a safe, welcoming place to play after school, on weekends, and during the summer.”

Olson said those interested in donating can do so through the GoFundMe page, or find the Deer Park Booster Club at most school events.

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