Press release from ArtSpace Charter School
ArtSpace Charter School has received a 2013 American Academy of Dermatology’s (AAD) Shade Structure Program grant in the amount of $8,000. A shade structure will be installed on the school’s recreational area, and will be used by all K-8 students in an Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) during the school day, by AfterCare students, summer campers, and various community members.
Lori Cozzi, Executive Director of ArtSpace, comments, “This outdoor space has a lot of traffic, and it has no protection from direct sunlight. We are excited about what this grant from the AAD provides.” The structure will provide an area for hands-on activities, a small stage for outdoor dramatic play, exercise and yoga, as well as moveable seating and tables. This area could be used for outdoor art projects, science experiments, writing assignments, and other academic pursuits. Near the site of the school’s organic garden, the space will be used daily in the fall and spring by the middle school agriculture elective class.
Various design plans for the shade structure are being considered. The final design will be a permanent structure will a continuous roof made of protective materials, such as textile, fabric, metal or wood, and supported by columns or posts. The structure will provide significant protection from ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to meet US Standards for UPR values. The design will also include signage from the AAD
An installation ceremony will be held this fall and the public will be invited.
“We believe this shade structure will benefit the school and surrounding neighborhoods, and can be an anchor as we continue to develop our school site,” says Elizabeth Russell, Director of Business at ArtSpace.
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