Hillside Rocks through Collaboration

A committee made up of PTA members and school staff was formed to evaluate the needs of the school. Suggestions were solicited from the entire school family. PTA President Cindy Pinchoff says, “While we have pretty visible fundraising, many in the community don’t realize how the money is spent. Of course, PTA funds support numerous educational enrichment programs. However, we thought something more high-profile with multiple benefits for the students would get parents’ attention. Also, if the kids were excited about it, they would pass their positive comments and enthusiasm along to their parents.” After several meetings and lots of research, the committee agreed on a handful of proposals, including the climbing wall.

Since no other schools in the Farmington District had climbing walls, a lot of legwork was necessary. Out-of-district schools with climbing walls were visited, and product information from several companies was gathered. All of this information was presented to the Farmington District Operations Services, who, after reviewing safety, legal, and logistical concerns, proceeded with equipment orders and installation. The traverse wall is 20 feet long and eight feet high. Climbers navigate the length of the wall; because the children are never more than a couple of feet off the ground, no safety equipment is necessary. The wall is equipped with a pad system that folds up and locks onto the wall, so the wall can be closed, eliminating the possibility of unsupervised climbs.

The school was buzzing with excitement all year long. Kids donned sweatshirts and T-shirts with the “Hillside Rocks” logo. Once the installation was completed, Hillside hosted a celebratory assembly to open the rock wall officially. A new banner was painted, and the school and grounds were decorated in preparation for the event. School officials and local press were on hand for the ribbon cutting. There was music, dancing, a video presentation, and a demonstration.

The kids were really proud to have the new climbing wall. Physical education teacher Greg Thompson adds, “It has a lot of ‘wow’ factor with the kids. The wall is a wonderful extension of numerous physical education content areas, which include muscular strength, coordination, balance, cooperation and responsibility.” The wall is all-inclusive, an activity for everyone, even kids who are not super-athletic. The level of difficulty can be changed by selecting different paths, determined by the color of the holds. In addition, the holds can be rearranged to create new paths.

The climbing wall is a source of great pride for the whole Hillside family. Principal Kathy Smith notes, “The additional work for Hillside helped to pave the way for other in-district schools to install climbing walls.” For the school, increased visibility as a result of this project has positioned Hillside as a proactive, leader school. “The ‘concreteness’ of this purchase will be important for upcoming fundraisers and membership appeals,” adds Cindy Pinchoff.

“In this era of financial challenge for schools in Michigan, it is a celebration that we can come together to achieve a common goal,” adds Principal Kathy Smith. In case there is any question as to whether the kids like the climbing wall, the answer is a resounding YES! Hillside’s Student Council voted to contribute their hard-earned money to purchase another panel for the wall, extending its length to 25 feet. Former Hillside PTA President Cindy Lynde-Perry says that this enthusiasm indicates that “Hillside’s PTA will continue to ensure a bright future for our school.” The Hillside Elementary climbing wall is an excellent example of the way in which well-managed PTAs can drive collaborative relationships and bring communities together for a common goal.

Kelly Small is a former president of Hillside Elementary PTA in Farmington Hills, Michigan.