The City of Gulf Shores announced that Gulf Shores Elementary School has been awarded a construction contract for renovations and the work is expected to be completed by the start of the 2023-24 school year.

The project, which will be completed by RH Deas Construction, is projected to cost a total of $2,813,366.37 and will be used to renovate the 200 and 300 buildings.

"The goal of the project is to create collaborative learning spaces that provide a student-centered, experience-based learning atmosphere throughout the school," the announcement read. "Ultimately, existing classrooms and hallways will be renovated to provide a similar learning environment that the classrooms and hallways in the STEAM Collaborative Learning Center provide."

Matt Akin, Gulf Shores City Schools’ superintendent, said the project is a part of the school system's master plan for their facilities.

"One of the major items in our Master Plan for Facilities is to renovate existing elementary classrooms to bring them up to the same standard as the STEAM Collaborative Learning Center that we opened last school year," Akin said. "Classrooms and hallways will have a more collaborative design and new furniture that supports small group and personalized instruction."

At the May 8 city council meeting, it was announced that the project was originally projected to cost $3,157,710. However, it is now expected to be completed $344,344 under budget.

According the announcement, construction was set to begin immediately after the school year concluded.

"We are excited about the future of learning in Gulf Shores and very grateful to the Gulf Shores City Council for providing the funding for our capital projects," Akin said.