SAUK VILLAGE | At least one Sauk Village Elementary District 168 board member wants the district to buy some playground equipment for its two elementary schools.

Last week, board member Marvin Perez suggested the district purchase equipment for students in first and second grades at Wagoner Elementary and for third- through fifth-graders at Strassburg Elementary to play on.

Play apparatus is available for early childhood and kindergarten students in the atrium area at Wagoner, he said.

Perez said students need an outlet for more physical activity because there now is limited gym space at the schools and the possible construction of additional gyms is still years away.

But the principals at Wagoner and Strassburg schools, concerned about the potential for injuries, supervision, and liability issues, say they would rather the district buy things like balls and items that can be taken outside and used by students during recess.

"Playgrounds with equipment are nice for parks where there are a few number of children using it at a time. School playgrounds with little equipment are not functional," Wagoner School Principal Kathleen Hansen wrote in a memo to Superintendent Rudy Williams. "At any recess there are usually 20 to 40 students outside at a time. It becomes a problem to schedule children to play on the equipment. If it is not organized, children may be hurt because too many are on the equipment at the same time."

District officials also say youngsters could get hurt on the equipment and on possible fences during nonschool hours.

Board Secretary Suzzanne Arnold said she thinks it is a good idea to explore, but does not think buying playground equipment for the schools would be practical.

"There are more efficient ways we could spend our dollars to benefit the children," she said.

"I would suggest we listen to what our staff tells us," Williams said. He also said he would not want the district to install and fence playground equipment at the schools only to have to tear them down to make room for additional gyms.

Board Vice President Maxine Towers said she thinks the board should form a committee to look into the district's options.