A message from Superintendent Campbell - July 27, 2026
Dear MSAD 6 Families,
The safety of our students is always our highest priority. We want to share an important update regarding our elementary school playgrounds and the steps we are taking to ensure that every child has access to safe, modern places to play.
For many years, playgrounds in our district were managed individually by each school. Inspections were typically conducted by school custodians, and decisions about repairing or removing equipment were made at the building level. While this approach served the district for many years, it did not provide a consistent district-wide assessment of playground safety.
Recently, our Facilities Director, who previously worked in New Hampshire where regular certified playground inspections are required by law, recognized the value of implementing a more comprehensive approach in MSAD 6. Although Maine does not currently require certified playground inspections, we chose to take a proactive step by sending our Safety Coordinator to become a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
After completing a comprehensive inspection of every district playground, our Safety Coordinator identified significant safety concerns. Many of our existing playground structures have deteriorated beyond the point of safe or practical repair, including broken equipment and exposed rusted metal components. Based on these findings, the equipment no longer meets the safety standards we expect for our students.
As a result, we have begun removing unsafe playground structures from our elementary schools. While we understand this may be disappointing for students and families, this decision reflects our commitment to providing safe environments for all children. Student safety is not negotiable.
Although these removals are difficult, they also provide an opportunity to create a new, equitable foundation across the district. Our goal is to replace the existing equipment with modern, ADA-compliant playgrounds that provide safe, inclusive play opportunities for every student.
Our target is to complete the installation of new playgrounds over the course of the new school year. At roughly $50,000 per playground, which includes installation, we are currently developing a phased plan to design and construct new playgrounds at five elementary schools.
To make this vision a reality, we are pursuing several funding opportunities, including:
*Applying for playground and community development grants.
*Partnering with our major vendors to seek financial support for new playground equipment.
*Working closely with local Recreation Departments, school PTOs, and community organizations to encourage donations and fundraising efforts.
These playgrounds are intended to serve not only our students but also our communities. Even if school configurations change in the future, the new playgrounds will remain valuable community assets for children and families.
We recognize that playgrounds are an important part of every child's school experience. We appreciate your understanding and support as we take these necessary steps to ensure our students have safe places to learn, play, and grow.
We will continue to provide updates as planning progresses and look forward to sharing more information about our fundraising efforts and construction timeline in the coming months.
Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to the students of MSAD 6.
Sincerely,
Brian Campbell, M. Ed, CAGS
Superintendent Of Schools
