Franklin, Tenn. — For a student who has difficulty communicating, asking “Can I play?” may take more than words. Today, Poplar Grove celebrated the new playground communication boards with a ribbon-cutting, marking their arrival at Poplar Grove Elementary and Poplar Grove Middle.
Students can point to pictures, symbols, and words in English and Spanish to express a need, share a feeling, or invite a classmate to play. The boards are especially helpful for students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) or have difficulty communicating through speech, and they are also useful for any child.
“Playground conversations happen quickly. A child wants to ask for a turn, tell someone how they feel, or invite a friend to play,” said Poplar Grove Principal Dr. Alisha Erickson. “These boards give students another way to have those conversations, and any child can use them. We hope they help more students join in and get to know one another.”
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The idea came from longtime Poplar Grove speech-language pathologist Amy Kelly. She had previously placed communication posters outside, but they could not withstand the weather. She also saw how difficult it could be for students to carry personal communication devices while climbing, swinging, and running with classmates. Kelly proposed durable boards that would be available right where students play.
The boards were purchased with federal funding, and former Poplar Grove student Trace Kindred, his brother Teague, and their father, Mike, gave their time and skills to install them. All three members of the Kindred family are Eagle Scouts. Trace and Teague both earned the distinction this summer as members of BSA Troop 135 in Franklin.
Franklin Special District is a prekindergarten through eighth-grade public school district serving the families of historic Franklin, Tennessee, in eight schools.
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