Gaffney Middle School teachers and students have started a $3,000 fundraising effort for a beautification project that will improve the school’s exterior appearance.

Gaffney Middle School is working on a $3,000 beautification project to make the structure’s exterior appearance match improvements made inside.

The district’s maintenance staff will remove overgrown shrubbery and trees in front of the main entrances to the building over the next couple of weeks as weather permits. The school is presently involved in raising funds so new trees and shrubbery can be planted.

Students and teachers will be involved in landscaping the Gaffney Middle campus and will raise the necessary funds to complete the project, principal Herman Thompson said. As of Thanksgiving break, the school had secured $500 towards the beautification project’s $3,000 cost.

“This is not a budgeted item. It’s something our school has taken on as a project this year to improve the outside appearance of our building,” Thompson said. “We want Gaffney Middle to be the focal point of Frederick Street. Our school will be something the community can be proud of.”

Landscaping is the latest effort by teachers and staff to transform the appearance of Gaffney Middle School. Several projects have been done over the past two years inside the former high school.

The main office area has been repainted and features a large mural with the school’s Chiefs mascot on the wall facing the visitors desk. Students have redecorated the media center in a coffee shop theme complete with an art gallery that displays student artwork.

Last year a stage was built and seating in the cafeteria was set up to establish an auditorium area for programs.

“There is a lot of tradition and history at this school. We have a lot of people who graduated from high school in this building and visitors who come here for Gaffney High football games,” Thompson said. “We want the building to look good so people will realize what a first-rate program we have here.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the beautification project can contact assistant principal Audrey McClary at 902-3630.