Niobrara County School District (NCSD) Superintendent Aaron Carr is urging parents to keep kids away from the Lusk Elementary and Middle School (LEMS) this summer, and for good reason—a new playground is under construction. Over the course of summer break, a new playground will be put in place of the old one on LEMS grounds. “The main section of our current playground has not been updated in many years.  Mainly because of safety concerns with the surface, along with wintertime ice accumulation, we have decided to remodel the area” states Carr, adding that the students had a “major say in the concept and design of the new play area; the district hired Russell Mills Studio out of Fort Collins to work with students on the project ”. The decision came Monday, May 22 when the School Board approved the project and awarded the bid to Paramount Construction  “in the amount of $693,978.00, inclusive of the base bid and alternates number 1, 3, 4, and 5”. Per Carr, construction will be done before school starts in August. In the meantime, “For safety purposes, we need your help as parents and community members in keeping the public—especially children, out of the area during construction” comments Carr.