The Woodland Joint Unified School District unveiled the designs for five elementary schools’ upcoming outdoor learning and play areas at a community celebration on March 22.

Dozens of Woodland community members gathered at Whitehead Elementary School to mark the occasion with ceremonial tree planting, music, and family games.

“Today, we are celebrating a project that will create cool outdoor learning areas for five of our elementary schools,” said WJUSD Board President Deborah Bautista Zavala. “This means students will be more connected to nature, schools will have more trees, and students will be able to play and learn outside, even when the weather is not allowing it.”

Thanks to a generous grant of about $10 million from CAL FIRE and the expertise of Texas Trees Foundation’s Cool Schools Yolo Program, Beamer, Dingle, Freeman, Prairie, and Whitehead elementary schools will soon feature greener, enhanced outdoor learning and play areas.

“This is the single largest grant that CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program has ever awarded,” said State Urban Forester for CAL FIRE Walter Passmore. “This grant was one of the highest-rated projects with over 100 applications in the competitive process.”

According to a press release, the Cool Schools Yolo Program aims to increase tree canopies and create shaded outdoor learning areas for schools. Currently, California schools average just 9% tree coverage. Through “Cool Schools Yolo County” tree canopies at the five WJUSD elementary schools will expand up to 30%, significantly cooling campuses by up to 15 degrees during hot summer days and reducing air conditioning costs.

“The work we’re doing today will have a lasting impact on the lives of children for generations to come,” said Cool Schools Program Director for Texas Trees Foundation and Cool Schools Yolo Samantha Bradley.

Local tree-planting organizations, Woodland Tree Foundation and Tree Davis, have partnered with Texas Trees Foundation to bring this initiative to life. Students, families, and staff from all five schools also contributed valuable input to the design process to ensure the new spaces meet their needs.

“When I first heard about the Cool Schools grant and the possibility it would bring to Whitehead, I couldn’t believe it,” said Whitehead Principal Alison Evert Monga. “It was just a principal’s dream. Not only would we get to redesign our play areas to be healthier and more engaging for our scholars, but the whole Whitehead community would have a say in how it looked.”

The Woodland Tree Foundation has been holding tree-planting events at each school in preparation for the start of the main projects. Construction will begin this summer and will complement our District’s ongoing Measure Y facilities improvement upgrades.

“These Cool Schools projects are going to have a huge impact on supporting five of our most needy schools,” said Superintendent Elodia Ortega-Lampkin. “This is going to enhance what is already being done with Measure Y. By bringing more trees and natural shade to our campuses, we create cooler, greener spaces for our students to learn and play. We are thankful for our partnerships and the support of our community to help improve school facilities for our students.”

For more information, visit coolschoolsyolo.org.