Expansion on county school campuses – funded by a $3.8 millionschool bond issue – is proceeding well, officials said.

Although construction is not expected to be completed in timefor the return of students later this summer, officials do expectcompletion during the school year.

“I think right now, including all our rain delays, we’resupposed to be through in the latter part of March,” said BrettDouchard, project manager for Paul Jackson and SonConstruction.

Paul Jackson received the $3,224,000 school contract inJanuary.

“All we told them when they started was that we had kidsdisplaced and to please hurry,” said Lincoln County SchoolsSuperintendent Perry Miller. “They understand that and are doing afine job.”

Rain has hampered construction efforts at times, both officialssaid, but the project is moving forward.

The bond construction includes a new classroom building on theLoyd Star, Enterprise and West Lincoln campuses; a new cafeteriabuilding on the Bogue Chitto campus; and a new office complex onthe Enterprise campus with renovations to add office space at WestLincoln.

Other improvements include updating equipment and adding twoclassrooms on the Bogue Chitto campus.

Buildings built in the 1930’s on the Loyd Star campus and an oldgym on the West Lincoln campus have already been removed.

The old cafeteria on the Bogue Chitto campus will be keptavailable for future needs, Miller said, possibly a band hall ormore classrooms. Two new classrooms are included in the newcafeteria building.

At Loyd Star, the foundation has been laid and the metalframework erected, said Douchard. Crews are laying concrete blocksand bricks at the site now.

“The Loyd Star work is moving on handsomely,” Miller said.

Work at West Lincoln Attendance Center was hampered more byrains than at other sites, Douchard said.

“We’re still doing dirt work and working on classroom andcafeteria renovations there,” he said.

Bogue Chitto’s construction stage lies between the two.

“The slab has been poured and the building will be deliverednext week,” Douchard said.

The project manager said he expects construction at Bogue Chittoto pick up once the metal framework arrives and is erected.Concrete block and brick laying will follow.

At Enterprise, crews are still preparing the constructionsite.