PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In just one week nearly 50,000 Portland Public Schools students will head back to school.
The district is asking for your help to spruce things up before students return.
New Cleveland High School Principal Leo Lawyer said there’s a lot to be done during Project Community Care.
“We’re going to do some planting,” Lawyer said. “We’re going to be doing some planter box painting.”
He said they’ll also be pressure washing to main entrances, “just to liven the place up before the students arrive next week.”
He feels it’s critical for students to return to a clean campus.
“Being safe and feeling like a sense of community and a sense of cleanliness when they come into the building, maybe they’ll bring that aesthetic when they come into class and halls and maybe respect the grounds inside and outside,” Lawyer said.
Also to avoid future messes, they’re building a bark dust path on the corner of Southeast 26th and Powell Boulevard.
“Students were cutting through that anyway and then their shoes were getting muddy, they walk on campus, they go into the building and now we have a mud problem in the halls,” Lawyer said. “So your bark dust path sort of eliminates that.”
The clean-ups will be going on at more than 70 schools across the city. The program has been going on for 25 years and 2,000-3,000 people are expected to participate.
“We’re a city of neighborhood schools,” Lawyer said. “It just gives people the opportunity to contact their school, make contact with the office, get to know people.”
PPS is still looking for volunteers for a variety of jobs like pulling weeds, raking, pruning and painting. You’re encouraged to bring your gloves and gardening tools, water and a snack.
“You know it’s gonna be a really good group of people,” Lawyer said.
Project Community Care is from 9 to noon on Saturday. No registration is necessary.
Find a full list of participating schools here
Hear from Cleveland High School’s new principal Leo Lawyer on how he feels about the new school year: