Atlanta Public Schools (APS), the City of Atlanta, and nonprofit partners KABOOM!, the Children & Nature Network (C&NN), and Trust for Public Land (TPL) announce a bold vision to ensure every APS school has a Community School Park that supports the healthy development, success, and well-being of Atlanta’s kids and communities. Through the Atlanta Community School Parks Initiative, partners will work with kids and communities to transform schoolyards into quality playspaces and outdoor learning environments that support kids’ mental and physical health and academic achievement.
Research confirms that children who have regular opportunities to play and learn outdoors have better academic outcomes, experience less stress and anxiety, can cope better with adversity, and have stronger self-esteem, social skills, focus, self-regulation, and cognitive functioning. However, far too many kids lack sufficient access to healthy, outdoor places to play and learn, if they exist at all. This is especially true in communities of color where access to nature’s benefits could help address the impact of trauma and systemic barriers that lead to inequities in academic and community health outcomes. Data collected over the last decade has demonstrated a persistent disparity in investment in civic infrastructure that supports kids’ mental, physical, and emotional development.
“Atlanta’s schoolyards and parks are packed with the potential to address physical, mental, and educational needs as Whole Child Interventions, as well as provide for the recreational needs for the community use of school facilities outside of school hours,” said Dr. Lisa Herring, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. “School grounds are specifically designed for children and when we invest in and create these spaces, it not only benefits the school community, it also benefits the surrounding neighborhood and the environment.”
The Community School Parks Initiative will provide…
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