Cyndi Loza

Greenbrae Elementary School students will be welcomed by a spruced-up school in a few weeks.

The Washoe County School District this week is repaving portions of the campus and repainting the exterior of the school in anticipation for the first day of classes on Aug. 25. The school, on 4th Street in Sparks, also has a new basketball court and playground.

Funds for the playground were raised by local organizations, including the Nell J. Redfield Foundation, the Rotary Club of Reno, and the Rotary Club of Sparks Centennial Sunrise along with Dr. Lloyd Diedrichsen.

Greenbrae lost some playground equipment in a fire in February.

Principal Rose Kane said she appreciates the new upgrades and so will the Sparks community.

“I think there’s a community ownership in the school,” Kane said. “So, it’s very important for it to be well kept.”

But, above all, Greenbrae’s interior facility needs more space, Kane said.

Books and supplies are piled on top of each other in classroom shelves and above cubbyholes.

“Just imagine if we had an earthquake,” Kane said. “Where would this be?”

The school combats the space issue by holding kindergarten classes in the halls, dividing the external portables by four classes and giving lessons in the multi-purpose room, which is also the lunchroom.

The school also has no teacher’s lounge.

“Our teachers are fine without one, but … that would be nice,” Kane said.