Make a Change with Us

Carpenter Elementary PTO is a non-for-profit 501c3 organization in Park Ridge, Illinois.  We are the parents of 430 students at Carpenter Elementary.  Our playground committee created the logo, "Park Ridge All-In Play" to represent our initiative in building an all-inclusive playground at our school.  

Every year our students run to raise money for PTO in the annual Track-a-thon.  100% of our fundraiser will go to the new playground fund.  We need $300,000 to order the playground and install it.  This is the largest fundraising goal ever at Carpenter.  Track-a-thon's goal is $100,000!  Our committee is working on grants and corporate sponsorships to help us raise the remaining $200,000.    

Lani Chaplik of  Parkreation has designed a new all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities.  We currently have students with physical challenges who can not climb on to the playground and need assistance.  A ramped entry will allow them to play with ease along with their friends.  Lani has added bucket seats where children who struggle with over sensory stimulation can relax and take a break.  Our swings include two handicap accessible swings for children who need to be secured to play.  The panels within our playground include a brail panel, as we have children who are visually impaired attending Carpenter as well. 

The new design brings more to life for the child who are fully able bodied.  We have added a rock climbing wall, a 10 seat revolution spinner, a supersonic slide, along with 5 additional slides, and monkey bars all around the playground.  For a full tour of our new design, please see the fly by section of this website.