LGUSD decides against plastic fields for its elementary schools!

Embracing its commitment to environmental stewardship, LGUSD has chosen not to install plastic fields at any of its elementary schools! 🎉

Playing field improvement and renovation plans for the schools of Los Gatos Union School District (LGUSD, a TK-8 district in Los Gatos, CA with four elementary schools and one middle school) were approved by the LGUSD Board 4/21/2022.  During the proposal development phase, the district staff had explored artificial turf as an option for renovations of the playing fields at each of LGUSD's five campuses.  Ultimately the district brought a hybrid proposal to the board for approval 4/21/2022.  However, the final result of the board deliberations was the board's unanimous approval of a revised plan, one that keeps all elementary school playing fields as natural grass and keeps two of the three fields at the middle school also as natural grass! Fields getting fully-renovated will receive a drought-tolerant species.  While the board approved the district staff's request to plan for artificial turf inside the middle school track, given that field is not scheduled for renovation until 2026 and given the district will be gaining experience managing other high use drought-tolerant fields, the board suggested this part of the plan could be reconsidered at a later time, potentially enabling LGUSD campuses to remain entirely free of plastic fields.

The momentous decision was made on the eve of Earth Day 2022!