As Coweta County gets ready to build two more schools next year, operations director Doug Bennett told the Coweta County Board of Education Tuesday night that current projects are on schedule.

With the rapid growth of the county, the school system is opening new schools at the rate of nearly two per year. The board approved the contracts for a new middle school on Smokey Road for $6.9 million and a new elementary school on U.S. Highway 29 North for $5.14 million. The contracts for the schools are the same price or less than the two schools the county recently opened, which made school board members very happy.

"We will actually build our new elementary school cheaper than the last one," said board member Bill Covington.

In August, the system opened the Madras Middle School and the Poplar Road Elementary School and Bennett said the system is just waiting on final closeout documents and completing the punch list this week.

Other projects underway or near completion include:

The addition and modifications at Western Elementary School. Bennett said the media center is substantially complete and will be inspected today.

The addition at Elm Street Elementary is complete and the final payment has been made to the contractor.

The athletic fields at Northgate High School. All grading and temporary grassing is complete and work is finished on the softball field. The soccer field will be get rye grass this fall and Bermuda sprigs in spring.

The Western Elementary school gym floor will be refinished over the Christmas holidays, but all other projects are completed.