Parent group urges West Milford board to fix Marshall Hill Elementary playground drainage

At the Jan. 23 meeting of the West Milford Township Public School District Board of Education, Annabeth, speaking for the Marshall Hill PTA and as a parent, asked the board to address chronic pooling and saturated ground that has kept students from using the school playground for months.

"Our students do not have regular access to playground," Annabeth said, describing what she and other parents and teachers report as constant wet and muddy conditions. She said several students could not recall having been on the playground since Halloween and attributed the problem to a lack of proper drainage, noting water flows to a single storm drain at the bottom of the hill near the main entrance.

Annabeth urged immediate interim steps — adding mulch or mats where appropriate — and requested the board work with town engineers to identify structural fixes such as improved drainage, elevating the play area, or relocating playground equipment. She said she supplied photographs that show thin mulch coverage and the playground’s slope toward a single drain.

The request arrived during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Board President Lachlan thanked the speaker and noted the comment would be part of the public record. Trustees did not vote on a specific action during the meeting but several indicated the issue should be investigated further through the appropriate operational channels.

Why it matters: Playground access supports recess, physical activity and social-emotional development, particularly for elementary students, the speaker said, and prolonged loss of safe outdoor play can affect student well-being.

What’s next: Annabeth asked the board to coordinate with town engineers to determine causes and to pursue both short-term measures to make the playground usable this school year and long-term engineering solutions. The board did not announce a timeline at the meeting.