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Help Needed To Repaint Prussing Elementary After Lead Paint Found

 Prussing Elementary School
Prussing Elementary School
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DNAinfo/Heather Cherone

JEFFERSON PARK — Volunteers are needed to help re-paint the first floor of Prussing Elementary School, where lead paint was discovered, 45th Ward Ald. John Arena said.

The lead paint has already been scraped off, and Chicago Public Schools officials have bought new paint, but volunteers are needed get the school ready for the first day of class on Sept. 6, said Michelle Netterstrom, co-president of the Jefferson Park school's Parent Teacher Organization.

The painting will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 24-27 at the school, 4650 N. Menard Ave. The Branch Community Church is also helping the effort, Netterstrom said.

The school does not have enough money in its cash-strapped budget to pay a crew to repaint the school's first floor, Netterstrom said school officials told the Parent-Teacher Organization, which launched the volunteer effort.

Volunteers can sign up online or by emailing Arena's office at ward45@cityofchicago.org.

In addition to the lead paint discovered at the school, water from one sink in the school's kitchen had elevated levels of lead, district officials said.

Efforts to "address" that sink are underway, as is work to replace the school's boiler, which sickened 80 students and nine teachers in October, Principal George Chipain told parents.

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