On May 4 district staff will give back to the community through the newly established Day of Caring.

The Baldwin Invitational track meet takes place later in the day, forcing the district to have a half-day for in-service to limit disruptions at the high school. Supt. Dr. Randal Lutz came up with the idea to give back to the community rather than just have a traditional in-service for the entire staff.

“The idea has been something I have had in my head for quite some time,” Lutz said. “As a district, we always talk about the importance of community and our place within it. … How can we link the school and community better?”

Assistant Principal John Saras said the Day of Caring should strengthen that link.

“It is a great endeavor and a great way to extend our community and show we care,” Saras said.

The event is still in its planning stages, with teachers and staff brainstorming ideas. They are also in contact with various service organizations to figure out how many volunteers they need.

“My vision of it is that everywhere you turn, the teachers are out doing really cool stuff. I see it becoming something that everyone looks forward to,” Cheryl Foote, one of the teachers on the planning committee, said.

Some proposed activities include doing yard work for seniors, partnering with the Humane Society, cleaning up the roads around the district and helping out at a senior center.

“The vision is that it turns out super awesome and we do all sorts of really cool things for the community and it becomes a tradition and something we can look forward to,” Foote said.