When students return to Voorheesville Elementary School this fall, they will be greeted by an exciting new addition to the playground area–a brand new performance stage.
The playground, rebuilt back in 2018 thanks to the generous donations of community members, is a focal point of the school and provides numerous recreational and educational opportunities for students throughout the year. However, a stage was not completed as part of the initial installation.
District parent and community volunteer Jaime Chismark reached out to the district earlier this spring/summer and offered to coordinate the construction of the stage.
“I love that the stage is for imaginative play,” said Chismark. “It will allow both students and teachers to tap into their creative sides for many years to come.”
With the help of numerous community members, local businesses and a grant from the Voorheesville Community and School Foundation, construction began in early August. The site was uncovered by Jerry Parmenter and his team from Elemental Landscape, Inc. before holes were dug and cleaned up by volunteers Dave Chismark, Kevin Hotaling, Austin Willoughby and Neil Volk.
The site was then prepped and concrete was poured courtesy of Luke Thomson and his sons Ethan and Ryan along with Kevin Hotaling.
Finally, the stage was built with the help of Luke Thomson, Kevin Hotaling and Austin Willoughby. Elemental Landscape, Inc. and Eric Reilly will return later in the week to install a ramp allowing for greater accessibility for all students.
“The new stage is a great addition to our playground area,” said Superintendent of Schools Frank Macri. “I am so excited that we are able to provide this resource for our school community.”