Denver Maintenance Toolkit

Overview

As a schoolyard transforms into a Learning Landscape the maintenance requirements at the site evolve. The foundation for preserving the quality and character of these unique schoolyards is respect from students and the surrounding community. Keeping Learning Landscapes looking beautiful is a collaborative effort, everyone helps keep a watchful eye for vandalism and maintenance issues. Learning Landscape maintenance is a responsibility shared among the school, district facility management, and community members.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can we do to CLEAN UP our schoolyard?

DPS can provide most of the material you need. All you need to do is organize a schoolyard cleanup event to cleanup natural areas and gardens, rake leaves, add mulch, fluff play pits, and paint asphalt. For More Info: DPSLL Cleanup

Can we PLANT TREES?

Yes you can. Contact your school’s Facility Manger to get approval and determine other steps that may be needed to plant. For More Info: Cool Schools (Mile High Million)

There is GRAFFITI on our playground. How can we get rid of it?

Meet with your principal and your school’s Facility Manager to make sure a work order has been submitted to DPS. DPS policy is that graffiti should be removed within 48 hours. For small areas ask your FM for graffiti removal supplies.

How do we report schoolyard VANDALISM or broken play equipment?

Meet with your principal and your FM to confirm that a work order has been filed with the school district for repairs. Safety issues are prioritized. They should be reported within 24 hours, and noted as “Urgent Safety Issues.”

Our students can’t reach the SWINGS?

The soft surface material under the swings needs to be either leveled or augmented with additional material.Watch an Online Video about EWF.

Our FIELD is looking bad, brown and bare. What can we do?

There are three possible things causing this.

1. The irrigation water is turned off
2. There is disease or
3. (most likely) the field is being over used.

For More Info:DPSLL_Field

How does our school create new BANNERS? Who supplies the paint & banners?

Each school purchases and coordinates the painting of new art banners. This is a great project to add unique character to the schoolyard, and help students take ownership of the space. For More Info:DPSLL_Banners

We want to paint an ART MURAL at our school. How do we get started?

Murals are a great way to add colorful character to your schoolyard. Work with your FM to get approval for your mural project, from DPS Protective Coating Department. For More Info:DPSLL_OArt

How can we REPAINT ASPHALT games on our schoolyard?

Re-stripping White Lines: Have your FM place a work order with DPS Protective Coatings. Color Areas: Schools are responsible for adding color to the asphalt games. These can be repainted by small volunteer or student groups. DPS Grounds can provide you with the paint and tools. For More Info:DPSLL_APaint

How do we start a new school GARDEN?

Contact Laurel Mattrey, with the DPS Projects Department. For More Info, check out the DPS Garden Coalition or Emaillaurel_mattrey@dpsk12.org

Where do we get COMPOST to improve our garden’s soil?

It is up to each school to find their own compost. Check out ourResource Page.

Where do we get MULCH?

DPS will supply mulch for habitat areas, but NOT for vegetable gardens. HABITAT AREAS: Have your FM place a work order with the DPS Grounds Department. VEGETABLE GARDENS: Mulch donations can often be found from local tree companies (ask if they’ll load it into a truck for you.) You’ll probably need to pay if you’d like it delivered. For More Info: DPSLL_Mulch or check out ourResource Page.

How do we stop the broken IRRIGATION geyser?

Talk with your Facility Manager. If the FM is not able to fix the irrigation then the FM will contact DPS Plumbing.

Material Suppliers & Resources

MULCH and COMPOST

COMPOST:

There are many companies in town that will sell you soil or compost,but the 2 sources below have proven to provide the best quality. Aurora Horse Stables 303-475-7517Well-aged compost from this horse stable is available for $10 per truckload, and they will load your truck. This is a great value if you have a truck for pick up.10850 East Exposition Ave, Aurora CO, 80012 Rosa Floral 303-452-8237Recommended by D.U.G. for quality compost – “EcoGro Grade 1” is their best.Located in Northeast Denver, Rosa Floral will deliver.5200 East 100th Avenue Denver CO 80229-3106

MULCH:

Many local tree companies will donate bark mulch to schools.Call several companies and find one that can load the mulch into your truck. Mountain High Tree 303-232-0666 www.mountainhightree.com This tree company grinds fallen trees into mulch and has donated mulch to schools in the past. Call ahead and ask they can load your truck. 5717 W.11th Ave Lakewood, CO

ART BANNERS:

BANNER DIMENSIONS:

44×24 inches (H x W) Nylon Canvas with Double-Stitched Seems 3” Pole Sleeves on Top & Bottom with Security Grommets

BLANKBANNERS AVAILABLE FROM:

Denver Tent (local)Contact: Jeff Greene303-399-3232www.denvertent.comApprox. $40 per banner

OR

Material Promotions (Connecticut)Contact: Peter Bove1-888-757-8908, 203-757-8911 (fax)pbove@materialpromotions.comApprox. $25 per banner

ACRYLIC BANNER PAINT:

Guiry’s Art Supplies Contact: Felicia 303-758-8244 2468 South Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80220

CERAMIC TILE SUPPLIES

(Ask about DPS Discounts)

BLANK TILES:

Daltile 735 South Huron Denver, CO 80223 303-744-1743 4”x 4”CD01 White STD Product #CD01441P 8”x 8”Porcl Nat CD28 Bianc Ghiacci STD Product #CD28881PP

GLAZES:

Mile Hi Ceramics 77 Lipan Street 303-825-4570

FIRING TILES:

CAPCO Tile and Stone 5800 East Jewell Contact Sue McRae 303-300-8205 Or,if your school has an electric kiln, you can fire your own.

GARDEN GRANTS & CURRICULUM:

Kaboom Maintenance https://learninglandscapes.org//kaboom.org/about_kaboom/programs/grants USGS Mapping Curriculum Activity https://learninglandscapes.org//education.usgs.gov/lessons/schoolyard/MapSketch.html Peaceful Playgrounds – PaintedMap Stencils https://learninglandscapes.org//www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/faq.htm Project Learning Tree – Environmental Education Curriculum www.plt.org

TREES&GARDENS:

Mile High Million can help provide trees to Denver area schools. https://learninglandscapes.org//www.milehighmillion.org/pages/section/programs/cool-schools-tree-planting-program Fruit Tree Planting Foundation – Funds small educational orchards (20 fruit trees) https://learninglandscapes.org//www.ftpf.org/fruittree101.htm Whole Kids Foundation funds school garden projects, through Whole Foods Market https://learninglandscapes.org//www.wholekidsfoundation.org/gardengrants.php Garden ABCs keeps an updated list of Grants aimed at School Gardens https://learninglandscapes.org//gardenabcs.com/Grants.html Captain Planet – Environmental Education Micro-Grant https://learninglandscapes.org//captainplanetfoundation.org/apply-for-grants/