CORINTH - Preliminary groundwork has begun at the site of the new Corinth Elementary School.

Corinth School District officials, the project architect, elementary principals and a group of well-wishers participated in groundbreaking ceremonies last week, with selection of a construction contractor expected next week.

The bid opening is scheduled for June 4, and construction is expected to begin later in the month.

Superintendent Lee Childress said he is confident the school will be ready for students by its scheduled opening date for the 2010-2011 school year.

Bidding on the project - which may be the largest construction project in the state that is currently soliciting bids - should be very competitive, Childress said.

Located on a 40-acre property at Droke and Harper Roads, the planned 128,000-square-foot school will include 60 classrooms with state-of-the-art technology, computer labs, a cafeteria and gymnasium.

A $12.8 million bond issue was approved by voters last year to pay for the new elementary school as well as improvements at the existing junior high and high school.

Corinth Elementary School will include students in kindergarten through fourth grades who are now educated at East Corinth and West Corinth elementaries.

Fifth- and sixth-grade students from South Corinth Elementary will attend Corinth Junior High School, which is being renovated to accommodate those grades and will be renamed Corinth Middle School for grades five through eight, while Corinth High School also will receive renovations.

School board President Ann Walker noted that the scope of the project demonstrates the school district's commitment to quality education for its children and to the community.