Instead of having students and staff struggle when maneuvering wheelchairs through the school’s playground, parents at Kohl Elementary in Broomfield are looking to raise funds to increase the playground’s access themselves.
“We were just looking for something that will really make a difference for the students, and even though it’s just a specific part of the population, we take care of everybody,” said Nancy Barjenbruch, a parent at the school and coordinator of a 5K race that will raise the funds. “Our teachers do a great job moving kids, so if it’s something that can make their job easier, we absolutely want to do that.”
The funds raised at the school’s third annual 5K race, set for May 5, will help build paved pathways and ramps as well as add rubberized matting under the equipment in the playground.
Kohl has one of 15 Boulder Valley School District programs for elementary-age students with special needs. More than 10 percent of the students at Kohl — about 50 — have special needs.
The Boulder Valley School District renovated the playground at Kohl in 2010 with new Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant equipment as part of a $4 million bond project.
Similar projects happened at every elementary school in the district.
A committee that included some staff and parents prioritized improvements and additions to the school, but with limited funds, not everything that was dreamed up could be funded.
“Before, they had different type of gravel that was not friendly to any kids, let alone the wheelchair-bound students,” said Erin LaForest, mother of three boys at the school — one of whom uses a wheelchair. “But now I find my son is still not able to access the swings on the primary playground because the wheelchair gets stuck in the wood chips. He usually ends up sectioned off in a part of the playground with no equipment.”
Though the boy is unable to communicate, his twin brother tells his mother about the boy’s lonely recess.
So the race this year took up the task to raise the money.
The district will take bids for the project and estimates the changes will cost about $7,000 — more than twice what the race has raised in past years.
But the race is getting more attention than normal, Barjenbruch said.
“This year’s really turning out to be exciting,” Barjenbruch said. “We have a diverse group of participants looking to join.”
Among them are members of the national Team in Training group that trains athletes to participate in major marathon events to raise funds of their own for cancer research.
During the training period, members are encouraged to participate in community races and activities such as Kohl’s 5K.
LaForest feels the growing momentum too.
“There’s this feeling that we’re really coming together to run and walk for the students who can’t,” LaForest said. “It feels very warm.”
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372 or yrobles@denverpost.com
