December 7, 2011
NO MONKEYING AROUND: MORE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS

LANGLEY – Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) at three Langley public schools are receiving a total of $141,387 in reimbursements for playground equipment.  The funding is part of $2.4 million to reimburse PACs throughout the province that recently purchased playground equipment with funds they raised.

The following schools in School District 35 (Langley) will receive a playground reimbursement for their PACs:
• Parkside Centennial Elementary ($50,000)
• Uplands Elementary ($41,387)
• Willoughby Elementary ($50,000)

Why this matters:
• This reimbursement recognizes PACs for their hard work and commitment to students.
• This money is part of the $8-million over two years that Premier Christy Clark announced in September for new playgrounds, reimbursements, and playground upgrades, repairs and replacements.
• School districts were asked to identify schools that had purchased adventure-style playground equipment using PAC-raised funds since January 1, 2011, which was eligible for reimbursement under this program.

Quotes:
“Renewing playground equipment will go a long way in helping develop active, healthy lifestyles for young students.”  
-Langley MLA Mary Polak

“From health to team skills, playgrounds are integral to early development in students. This funding will help schools make developing these lifelong lessons safer and more fun.” 
-Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman

Quick Facts:
• Based on school district input there are 102 public elementary and middle schools that are eligible to receive a reimbursement towards PAC playground contributions. This spans across 31 school districts.
• Each PAC was eligible to receive up to a maximum of $50,000 depending on how much they contributed to the project.
• School districts will be reimbursed directly by the Ministry of Education, and will be responsible for ensuring their PACs are reimbursed appropriately.
• The first round of funding supported 40 new playgrounds for elementary and middle schools that were identified as not having a playground but wanting one, for a total of $2 million.
• The final phase of the playground program will see approximately $3.6 million being distributed for high-priority playground upgrades, repairs and replacements.

Learn More:
• For more information on Education in B.C. visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/bced/
• PACs having concerns about the dollar amounts shown above, or the eligibility of schools not listed, should contact their school district directly. Contact information can be found here: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/apps/imcl/imclWeb/SchoolBoardSelector.do

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