Portland Public School Department News

UBS Financial Services in Portland has given a $10,000 grant to Longfellow Elementary School for improvements to its courtyard garden. The grant will pay for landscaping, fencing and other improvements, and it will help the school staff develop curriculum materials to use the courtyard garden as a teaching resource.

Students, teachers and parents have worked with Portland Trails to transform a slab of blacktop in the middle of the school into a bountiful garden during the past few years, said Longfellow Principal Dawn Carrigan.

Dick Lown, senior vice president and manager of the UBS’ Portland branch, noted that the office has a long history of involvement in the Stevens Avenue elementary school. He is one of several employees who have mentored Longfellow students and volunteered in other school project. “We hope to have a UBS work day for employees to help on the garden improvements,” Lown said.

UBS Financial Services in Portland also is awarding a grant to the Children’s Museum of Maine. Some of the money will be used to perform stories at Longfellow and two other Portland elementary schools, Reiche and Riverton.