Parents press board to fix Aliso drop-off and playground hazards; trustees approve playground chips and demolition

Parents at the Carpinteria Unified School District board meeting on June 9 told trustees they are worried about student safety at campus drop-off points and playgrounds and asked the board to take low-cost, immediate steps.

Meredith Bell, an Aliso and Canalino parent, told the board the Aliso drop-off loop has become a safety hazard because construction at a TK-K building has forced families to share the main access with construction vehicles. "Now that there's construction on the TK and K building, the main point of access for our kids is also the only point of access for construction crews and vehicles and machinery," she said, adding that a crossing guard was recently nearly hit behind an unloading construction vehicle. Bell also said the Aliso playground has been the site of "no fewer than six major injury accidents this school year," and described a recent incident in which a 5‑year‑old lost teeth.

Board action and facilities items: Trustees approved three related facilities contracts during the meeting:
- Purchase and installation of playground chips at Aliso and Canalino elementary schools (Proplaygrounds selected, $31,999), paid from restricted maintenance funds.
- Demolition of a rusted, 30+-year-old play structure at Main School ($9,194.81), paid from restricted maintenance funds.
- The board also approved tree trimming and removal at Carpo High School and authorized a staff purchase of a pre-owned Ford Transit van for transportation needs.

Why this matters: Board approval to replenish impact-attenuation material and to remove a degraded play structure addresses immediate safety risks flagged in public comment. Parents said some problems are low-cost and urgent, particularly the Aliso drop-off configuration while construction is underway.

What the board said: Trustees thanked parents for raising concerns, noted the playground item (Aliso) appears on the agenda for follow-up, and said site visits and scheduled graduations will provide opportunities to review parking and access. Facilities staff described the playground chip and demolition purchases as routine maintenance and safety work.

Next steps: The board directed facilities staff to proceed with vendor-selected work and to coordinate timing to minimize disruption. The public will have an opportunity to follow progress at future meetings and through facility updates.

Ending: With summertime approaching, trustees approved the work so crews can install chips and remove the aged structure during the summer break.