At Pittman Elementary, kindergarten is buzzing with more than just ABCs and 123s. Thanks to the vision of educators and the support of the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools (FSPS) community, young learners are engaging in serious learning through play, building a foundation for lifelong success. A recent “Let’s Play in K” grant, funded through the Back-to-School Grant program, showcases this impact.
The grant was awarded to Pittman kindergarten teacher Bethany Hubbell, who recognized a critical need to develop her students’ essential “soft skills” alongside their academic learning. “Building ‘soft skills’… is what will help my students to become productive adults,” she shared, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.
Ms. Hubbell knew that while her classroom had plentiful academic resources, it lacked the tools for purposeful play—the very activities key to fostering social-emotional growth like negotiation, self-regulation, and empathy. Inspired by Mr. Rogers’ wisdom that “play is serious learning,” she sought to create more intentional opportunities for her students to develop these skills.
Through the FSPS Back-to-School Grant, Ms. Hubbell received funding for a variety of play resources. Her goal was to increase her students’ capacity for the 4 C’s—collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking—and to see them apply the perseverance and problem-solving they learned in play to their academic work. 
The results have been clear. “Through our play centers, students have been building many soft skills,” Ms. Hubbell reported. She has watched daily as her students “play pretend, be creative, or challenge their brain,” and sees the direct impact on their schoolwork. “Practicing these skills during play transfers to our academic time,” she explained. “They learn to be problem-solvers, share, take turns, and compromise—essential life skills.”
Bethany Hubbell’s “Let’s Play in K” project is a powerful example of how targeted support can unlock potential in the classroom. You can help fund more innovative grants that empower teachers, enrich learning, and help Springfield’s children thrive.
Join our Back to SPS 2025 campaign and make projects like this a reality across the district. Learn more and get involved at SupportSPS.org/BacktoSPS or contact Jennifer Sickinger at jlsickinger@spsmail.org.