DEERING - Dawson-Bryant school officials will advertise for bids Oct. 1 for a renovation and construction project at the elementary school.

Dawson-Bryant Superintendent James Payne said the project, in excess of $13 million, will add 25,000- 35,000 square feet of space to the campus and will include as many as 10 new classrooms, a new gymnasium, media room, cafetorium and other facilities.

"We will open bids Oct. 26 and have the contract awarded by the end of the year and then start construction in the spring, hopefully after spring break," Payne said.

Payne said project also calls for improved parking and transportation facilities at the school, which is an important safety consideration, since right now buses carrying students in the morning and afternoon often must compete with private cars for access to the limited space on school grounds.

The project at Dawson-Bryant

Elementary School is one of several school construction projects on the horizon in Lawrence County. Work continues on the new Chesapeake Elementary School on County Road 1. It is scheduled to be completed early next year. Ground was broken in May 2003 on that $9 million project.

South Point School officials also have plans to replace both of its elementary schools at Burlington and South Point as well as the middle and high schools. In March, voters there approved a 4.91-mil bond issue and half-mil tax levy to build the four new schools.