Luis Muñoz Marín Community Schoolyard

Newark | New Jersey

What We’re Doing
Transforming the playground at Luis Muñoz Marín Elementary into a Community Schoolyard for the whole neighborhood to enjoy.

Our Goal
Create a vibrant green space that improves the daily lives of students, educators, and the surrounding community.

Support Our Work in New Jersey

A group of children playing on a playground.

Luis Muñoz Marín Community Schoolyard by the Numbers

7,252

People who live within a 10-minute walk

800

Students served by the schoolyard

A Schoolyard Built With Community at Its Core

Luis Muñoz Marín Elementary School celebrates the diversity and vibrancy of their students, but their current playground doesn’t reflect the richness of the entire neighborhood. This asphalt lot looks more like a parking lot than a playground with little shade and sparse play equipment to enjoy.

In partnership with the Newark Board of Education, we’re reimagining this playground into community schoolyard—a vibrant green space and social hub that serves students and residents even after school hours.

Our Community Schoolyards® program is focused on community-centered design, meaning that each schoolyard is constructed with intention, creating a space that is welcoming to everyone. Students voice their input and ideas while learning to collaborate, budget, and lead their community during classroom sessions.

We know that when these spaces are open to surrounding neighborhoods, it helps students, families, and the community stay active and healthy by providing a quality, close-to-home place to play. Investments in the schoolyard are investments in the community, and once complete, this schoolyard will provide an awesome green space for over 7,200 residents that live within a 10-minute walk to gather, relax, and connect to the benefits of nature.

Interested in staying up to date on the Luis Muñoz Marín Community Schoolyard? Do you have a question or want to get more involved? Email Bryanna Fogel at Bryanna.Fogel@tpl.org.

A Comprehensive Plan

With direct input from students and community members, we develop a roadmap to transform their current playground into their dream schoolyard.

Student Engagement

Through our participatory design process, students sharpen their skills in math, science, technology, and engineering by exploring ideas for their new schoolyard. They use 3D-modeling and critical thinking skills to develop their design and collaborate with other students to brainstorm ways the space can be transformed into a fun, welcoming place for all.

Design Process

We collaborate with students, school officials, the district administration, and community members to ensure the new schoolyard will meet the vision for the entire neighborhood. We gather feedback and work with an architect to approve a final concept design.

Timeline

We’re working to transform the schoolyard into a green space that will be well-loved and well-used. This projected timeline outlines our work at Luis Muñoz Marín Community Schoolyard.

Spring 2022 | Design Complete
Fall 2022 | Finalize Construction Plans
Winter 2022 | Permits and Approvals
Fall 2023 | Construction Begins

Explore Participatory Design Sessions

Welcome and Brainstorm

In this introductory session, students learned about the project, expectations, and expected outcomes. Together, they brainstormed what makes up a Community Schoolyard and how it could benefit the school and the larger neighborhood. They were asked to identify current problems in their schoolyard and ideas about how to make a better park to kick-off their exploration.

Virtual Field Trip

With the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic, students were unable to go on a physical trip, so Trust for Public Land took the student through a guided virtual trip through Sussex Avenue schoolyard, a previous TPL project. The team toured the schoolyard with the classes through the web and interviewed current Sussex Ave students. Students were shown the design elements of the schoolyard and asked to think about how those could be implemented in their own schoolyard designs.

Where Does the Water Go?

Students explored the meaning of a watershed with the Great Swamp Watershed Association. Students studied what happens to rain when it hits the ground and how rain that falls far away can affect flooding in their community. Using their workbooks and models, students learn about different methods to control flooding and watershed.

Exploring Models

The Davies Toews Architecture Team fabricated a 3D model of Luis Muñoz Marín School focusing on the courtyard and Oraton Street side as a design tool for schoolyard design sessions. The model unveiling in the school library allowed students to ask questions about the model and learn more about the design process.

Steering Committee Recordings

Do you want to learn more about the plans for Luis Muñoz Marín Community Schoolyard? Recordings of Steering Committee meetings can be found on YouTube.

Schoolyards as Civics Labs

By helping to design their own schoolyards, students learn about everything from native plants to drainage to urban heat. Embedded in the design process is another lesson: the importance of collaboration and the power of advocacy.

Read More

Get in Touch with Our New Jersey Team

Newark Office

60 Park Place
Suite 901
Newark, NJ, 07102
(973) 998-9440
newjersey@tpl.org

Scott Dvorak

Associate Vice President, New Jersey State Director

(973) 241-5259
scott.dvorak@tpl.org