Quogue School PTA continues to raise money for playground upgrades

The Quogue School Parent Teacher Association continues to raise funds for new playground equipment at the elementary school, according to Superintendent Richard Benson.

Mr. Benson said the PTA has raised approximately $10,000 over the past two years for the playground improvement project. The district itself also intends to contribute money toward the work, though it is unclear at this point how much the school will donate, he said. Mr. Benson explained that it was too early in the process to say how much the renovations will cost.

PTA officials are looking to replace the playground equipment located behind the school on Edgewood Road. Mr. Benson estimated that the equipment there has been used by students for the past two decades.

“[We have] older stuff, wooden structures,” he said. “Wooden materials don’t last as well.”

The superintendent said the planning and fundraising for the new equipment is still in its “early stages,” noting that nothing definitive is being planned or purchased for the school as of yet.

“The playground equipment has to be replaced,” said Quogue School PTA President Lauren Battista, adding that her group held a golf outing the last week of September to benefit the project.

Ms. Battista said that money raised from the annual golf outing typically goes toward student scholarships. But she noted that, this year, about half of the money raised will instead be earmarked for the playground improvements. She said she was not able to provide a figure regarding how much was raised during the golf outing.

The PTA is busy organizing additional fundraisers to help finance the work, according to Mr. Benson.

“We budgeted some funding for it,” he said, adding that he does not know how much the upgrades will cost. “We’re looking for a climbing wall and replacing some of the equipment.”

While it is unclear when the equipment will be replaced, school officials plan to do the project piecemeal, most likely replacing one piece at a time instead of renovating the entire area at once, according to the superintendent.