The new adaptive playground at Stevenson Elementary School in Bloomington opened Monday, giving the surrounding community a chance to celebrate and remember.
Principal Lynn Shook began advocating for a more accessible playground because students in the school’s growing Dynamic Learning Program [DLP] could not utilize the equipment. She said work began during the transition period when David Mouser took over as District 87 superintendent in 2022.
“I brought him over here to look at what we had and show him that we have students that are in wheelchairs hanging out underneath the trees, they just couldn't access the equipment,” said Shook. “And anytime I’d get a chance to have a school board member in the building, I would always walk them past this door so they could see what we have and what we're lacking.”
All students got a chance to play on the new equipment shortly after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. New playground features include ramps, guardrails and swings accessible to students with disabilities.
Fifth-grader Ella Thill spent her first time on the new equipment playing with Carter, a DLP student. Thill is a peer buddy, allowing her to develop a one-on-one friendship with Carter through events and other hangouts.
“I love it because I get to help him understand some stuff,” said Ella, adding an ankle injury earlier in the school year kept her from being able to use the playground — but taught her what it feels like to be left out during recess.
“So having this playground for DLP kids so it’s easier for them, means a lot to me,” she said.
A moment of remembrance
The new playground was dedicated to Raymundo Bucio-Flores, a Stevenson student with the DLP program who was killed in a car accident in 2024.
“He was a very joyful kid anywhere you went,” said Francisco Flores, Raymundo’s father. “Regardless of where we were, he would just bring out the joyful smiles to everybody.”
Francisco and his son Omar both attended the event alongside staff, students and community members who helped make the project a reality. Francisco said it meant a lot to see the impact Raymundo made on his school community.
“I broke down in tears,” he said, upon receiving an invite to attend the ceremony, “Just because he is still loved no matter where he is.”
Flores said the new playground will be great for Stevenson students like his son, who was a non-verbal student, meaning he would have been able to utilize a communication board placed on the playground for core vocabulary users.
"He would have absolutely loved to to explore this playground and use this communication board," said Anne McWilliams, speech therapist at Stevenson Elementary.
“This is going to be very, very helpful, because it has a little bit of everything for everybody. It opens up the world for everybody," said Flores.
