NATCHEZ – Concordia Parish Superintendent Dr. Lester &uot;Pete&uot; Peterman said it was like a dream come true to see construction of new classrooms at three Concordia Parish Schools.

&uot;It finally hit me that this was really going to happen,&uot; he said.

The Concordia Parish School District is winding down on the last few days of construction of new classrooms at Ferriday Lower Elementary, Monterey School and Vidalia Lower Elementary School.

Third-graders at Vidalia Lower Elementary School should move into their new classrooms next week, following a site inspection on Friday, Peterman said.

Monterey students should move into their new classrooms shortly afterward, also after a Friday site-inspection.

Students at Ferriday Lower Elementary should move into their new rooms in early January.

These dates put the students in their new classrooms prior to the start of the second semester on Jan. 14, just as school officials had planned, Peterman said.

&uot;It’s just a dream come true for us,&uot; Peterman said.

The Concordia Parish School District began this construction project earlier this year so students would no longer have to attend class in portable structures.

The district added six classrooms to Ferriday Lower Elementary School and nine each to Monterey School and Vidalia Upper Elementary School.

The district funded the $1.8 million project with a 13-mill, five-year tax increase approved by the voters.

Peterman said the new classrooms give &uot;a feeling of permanence&uot; that students and teachers do not have in portable structures.

The new classrooms are equipped with energy saving lighting and are more energy efficient, he said. They are also less prone to wind or water damage and more secure, Peterman said.

Students and teachers will also no longer have to walk to the main building to use the restroom, and all classrooms come with a two-way intercom system.