IRVINGTON — Irvington Community Elementary School (ICES), established in 2002 as one of Indiana’s first charter schools (serving more than 450 students), has several children who were not able to enjoy the playground due to their physical disabilities. An additional factor: the needed improvements were an out-of-budget expense, which is no small issue for a charter school that must exist without facilities funding. So the principal, Deanna Pryor, decided to reach out to school community members to see what they could do. Two weeks later, the answer was in. The “Pennies for our Playground” ad hoc campaign raised nearly $6,000 to cover the cost of
a new asphalt pad, special basketball goals, and a custom swing.
The ICES principal commented, “The outpouring of support for this project has been so amazing. We made a simple request of our students, parents, and staff, and before we knew it we had more than enough funding to cover the costs. ‘Community’ is in our name — and it really shows. I’m very proud to be a part of this very special school community.” To formally recognize this community effort and outcome, ICES hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thurs., , Nov. 4.
