MINFORD --- Construction on the newest muli-million dollar Minford School is on time and about $1 million under budget thus far, school officials said Monday.

For Minford Elementary Principal Tim Allen, the ongoing construction is significant as more than an administrator. He was one of the first students to enter the original High School duilt in 1970 that now has been renovated for the district's adjoining middle/elementary school facility.

"It's been difficult seeing it torn down so to speak, but it was in such bad shape," he said.

The middle school, used since 1926, shut its doors last week. It's last class graduated Sunday. Come August, students will be shuffled ito the new $28 million facility, Superintendent Dennis Meade said.

The schools will combine kindergarten through third grades with fourth through eighth grades, but each of the age levels will have separate wings.

"To them, everything is an experience," Allen said of the more than 1,100 students who have been parts of the school this past academic year. The students had been using the completed middle school section while construction continued on the elementary sect of the school.

Funding the 169,00-square-foot facility came from a 23-year levy passed by taxpayers to upgrade the system's schools. Grades nine through 12 have been in the district's new $14 million high school since 2001.

The facility, with primary renovations beginning just last year, will have state-of-the-art security and fiberoptic electrical components that Meade says are just a couple of amenities in place to provied a more comfertable enviroment for the students.

Its new 900-square-foot fooms each will de air conditioned and Internet accessible. Many of the rooms will have computers for each stuednt, he said.

New ferniture is on its way. Each will accomidate the stature of the student. All furniture now in the building will be auctioned later.

An Aug. 19 open house is planned for parents and students who have not visited the complex to acquaint themselves.

"We wanted them to be able to come here and see what we've been doing," Allen said.

The school's architect, Tanner, Stone and Co. of Portsmouth is also helping to design the new Portsmouth City Schools High School and Junior High buildings which are expected to be open as early as 2005.

ANNA MALLORY