
FORSYTH COUNTY — Construction drawings for a new elementary school in Forsyth County are halfway complete, with many other future campus construction and improvement projects in the works. The Board of Education received an update from Tom Wening, with the school system’s facilities construction department, during its meeting Thursday night. Brandywine, which will be the district’s 21st elementary school, is scheduled to open in August 2016 on Martin Drive near Atlanta Highway in southwest Forsyth. The front entrances of the county’s middle schools will also be renovated to heighten security, with the improvements scheduled to be finished by next month.“What we’re basically doing is adding a door into the office area, so that once the students enter in the mornings those doors will be locked,” said Bill McKnight, school system facilities director.“The visitors or anyone coming in after that will have to enter through the office.” Other upcoming construction projects include classroom additions at Lambert High School (19) and South Forsyth (23) and Riverwatch (24) middle schools. Those should be ready by August 2016. A visitors’ concession stand and restrooms are also scheduled to open at North Forsyth High School’s football stadium in September. According to the update offered by officials, the county’s seventh high school will be built in south Forsyth, although the specific site has not been chosen. It is scheduled to open in 2018. A 10th middle school, which has not yet been named, is set to open in 2016 along McFarland Road. The county also plans to build an 11thmiddle school at a sight and date to be determined. These improvements and additions, along with many other projects, are being funded through a $195 million bond program that voters approved in May. Brandywine Elementary, however, is being built with state money.