Salina Elementary School on June 10, 2025 held a special opening for its new kindergarten playground, another milestone in the effort to extend the Green Schoolyards on the campus.
Green Schoolyards is a concept that encourages exposing students to more natural settings for their health, for play, and for learning. The revamped playground joins other features on the campus including school vegetable and pollinator gardens, rain gardens, outdoor learning spaces, and a prairie planted over the winter. The campus includes about 970 students from preschool through eighth grade at Salina Elementary and Salina Intermediate.
The new playground includes features such as clambering logs, a small slide built into a hill, a walking and scootering track, swings, flowers and trees, and more.
“As school leaders, we all dream of creating experiences that honor the magic of childhood—experiences rooted in wonder, exploration, and a connection to the natural world. That dream takes form in this beautiful, nature-based space where our children will learn, discover, and grow,” said Salina Elementary Principal Sue Stanley. “This milestone was made possible through the incredible generosity, vision, and collaboration of so many community members, university partners, local businesses, and our school district leaders. We are so incredibly grateful.”
The playground is part of a much larger initiative to add green space for students and the community and to also help mitigate environmental concerns in the area such as reducing stormwater runoff. Future plans include adding more trees and green play spaces at the schools over the next few years.Â
The playground was made possible thanks to many generous donors including the Dearborn Education Foundation; State of Michigan School Aid Fund; the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE); CRSD; Cleveland Cliffs Foundation; Friends of the Rouge; PNC Foundation; Community Fund of Southeast Michigan; Dearborn Sausage; CMS Energy Foundation; ACCESS; Toledo Zoo; Home Depot; Edward C. Levy Co.; ICCD; LAHC; Local 600; City of Dearborn; Dearborn Community Fund; Exchange Club of Dearborn; ReLeaf/DTE Foundation; Wayne State/University of Michigan-Dearborn.
More information about the campus’ Green Schoolyards initiative and a link to make a donation can be found on the Salina Green Schoolyards webpage.
