GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — The push to give every Sumner County elementary school an inclusive playground is swinging forward.

After receiving additional funds from the county commission, Sumner County’s school board will hold its first community workshop on Saturday to brainstorm how these upgrades should look.

It has been a journey — a battle, for some — but with over $1 million budgeted to playgrounds for 2026, the school district is starting to dream.

“We’re going to be able to get all the parents of special needs children together, have a big dream session, kind of like we did with athletic facilities,” Sumner County Director of Schools Scott Langford said in July. “And then just start drilling it down and get a plan; how do we find grants, how do we find corporate sponsors, and how do we invest that wisely so we can make a huge difference for our kids.”

The school board plans to hold several of these parent engagement sessions. A special committee is also being formed, which currently consists of health professionals, maintenance personnel and therapists.

But what do parents themselves think of this new process? 

“I think a dream session is a great concept,” Liz Broadaway said. “I think, as parents, we all have different ideas and goals and hopes for what a playground can look like, what we should prioritize, and that kind of thing. I feel like the way we went about it is not loud enough.”

Broadaway has a daughter in a wheelchair. She believes better surfacing and accessibility to playgrounds should be the top priority of the district.

She’s concerned the evaluation and discussion process will delay progress even more.

“It’s prolonging a thing that doesn’t need to be prolonged. We’re standing here in front of Gallatin Miracle Park (an all-inclusive playground); we know what works,” Broadaway said. “I would love us to be able to do every school, immediately. Their current plan is to try and roll through the schools. But again, how do you prioritize? And that’s the part that makes me nervous.”

Another parent, who asked to be anonymous, told News 2 she doesn’t want this process to be “slow-walked,” but “expedited.” 

She believes the parents themselves should be responsible for picking out new playground materials and made clear they want “inclusive” playgrounds, not just compliant ones. She added that this project isn’t just about current special needs students, but those in the future as well. 

“Our playgrounds are not compliant, or if they are, we’re bare minimum compliant,” Broadaway explained. “What we’re hoping is that we can go beyond that; that there’s a legacy that can be created.”

“Our kids should be prioritized, and they’re not,” Broadaway added.

It’s unclear just how many of these workshops the Sumner County School Board will hold before playground upgrades begin.

News 2 spoke with one school board member, Wade Evans, about whether these meetings are even needed, given that many parents have already vocalized their wants.

Evans answered, in part:

“We’re looking at a systematic change in how our playgrounds are built/maintained/etc. I wish it was as simple as equipment, but we need to look at surfacing, equipment buildout and implementation, pathways, ramps, and ground-level activities. 

With an initiative and project as important as this one is, engaging our community is a great first step in this journey. It’s important that we gather input and share ideas as a more formal committee is constructed. This is our chance to dream big, look at possibilities, and build a plan that our parents and community create with us.”

Saturday’s "dream session" will be held in Hendersonville at the school district’s new Innovation Center. It’s open to the public and will run from 1 to 3 p.m.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/sumner-county-schools-to-gather-input-on-playground-renovations-as-parents-call-for-more-inclusivity/