***We are a group of parents reaching out to those we feel can help with the changes needed. Several of the parents organizing and supporting this are on our local PTO but this petition is not associated in any way with that group. We are not speaking for them in this capacity.***

Dumas ISD built the new Dumas North Elementary school before the start of the 2023-24 school year. The completion of the new school brought together a student count of approximately 700 students into one facility.

With a new state-of-the-art school we expected all the amenities that should come along. Unfortunately, after just a few short days we have discovered significant problems that need to be addressed. Problems that affect our children's health, safety, well-being, and educational experience.

A major safety issue for parents is the lack of a traffic light on Maddox Ave. With the construction on Dumas Ave. underway, the traffic pattern is much busier on Maddox, being the alternate route. There is currently a traffic light close to the Jr. High slowing traffic for 13–14-year-old students, but the school and state failed to implement the same safety precautions for our 4–9-year-old students. According to the CDC traffic accidents are the 3rd leading cause of child fatalities in the US with 19% being pedestrian fatalities. The district has asked for safety measures for our new school and have been met with red tape from the state. In addition, we need more sidewalks near the school, closer crosswalks, traffic lights to slow traffic and more.

Concerned parents of the school have discovered that the new school playground falls short of the highly anticipated expectations. After observation and research, the playground area seems drastically undersized for the number of children served. Due to the much smaller area, the school schedule was forced to limit teachers giving students only 15-20 min recess time daily. This also meant teachers would need to limit the use of extra recess on Friday as an incentive for good behavior. The CDC and SHAPE America state "on average, schools schedule 27 minutes of recess each day," putting Dumas North below national average by 7 to 12 minutes. Recommendation from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services also states that the play area should be 80 sqft. per child. Currently the turfed space is under 9255sq feet, only enough space for 115 children (if allowed to play on both sides of the turfed equipment area). There are 144 kinder students enrolled. In fact, each grade level holds recess at the same time and they all exceed the play space requirements.

We all know Texas Panhandle temperatures can be brutal on extremely hot days. It is estimated that the turf of the new play area can reach temperatures of 190 degrees on hot days causing health and safety concerns for all the students. We took measurements on August 19th (outside temperature was 90 degrees at 11am) at 11am and the readings were 175 degrees, at 1pm they reached 178 degrees and at 3:20pm they were 181 degrees. The concrete area read 116 degrees at its highest. This makes it unbearable and dangerous. The research that shows these numbers and basic shade consideration are not up to the standards of the Texas DSHS Playground Safety or the Texas.gov Minimum Standards for Childcare Centers. Burn exposure charts state that it takes only 3 seconds to get a 2nd degree burn on a surface of 140 degrees. The slide reading taken at 11am was 142.2 in 90 degree temperatures.

After meeting directly with DISD Administrators there is a little progress. There are talks of creating an enlarged play area to the north. They have asked we work on a plan for painted sidewalk activities to take advantage of the large amounts of concrete space.

We still want to present to the school board asking for better space and equipment. By signing this we can show the board our support in creating a better playground for our children. We can also show TX Dot the amount of parents concerned about their delay in adding safety measures for pedestrians.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/264736969752915