Bonham -- Faculty and staff are getting tours of the new Bonham High School as craftsmen put the finishing touches on construction, but in a few short days an excited group of students and their parents will get their first look at the newest school in the area.

The facility is modern and highly functional, but not extravagant. Taxpayers will take note that the project is slightly under budget, on time and constructed to meet Bonham's needs for years to come.

"We have approximately 500 high school students now and the facility can handle up to 800 students," states Bonham ISD Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Marvin Beaty. "That means our enrollment could grow 60% and we wouldn't need another square foot."

When significant growth does occur in the area, the school's design allows for expansion.

By utilizing LED lighting and motion-sensor switches, the school district is hopeful it can lower monthly utility bills by hundreds of dollars.

The old high school opened in 1971 -- 30 years before the advent of iPads -- and simply wasn't designed to prepare today's graduates for the competitive world that awaits them, whether they choose to pursue higher education or enter the work force. That will no longer be the case. The Bonham High School Class of 2019 will be accustomed to all the technological advantages available anywhere. And Bonham ISD can now offer faculty recruits the opportunity to work in a facility that compares favorably with any school district.

The large, primary parking lot that will be located where the old high school once stood should be completed by the end of September.

The high school gym will also be completed later in the fall, but the versatility of the new school is immediately evident because, in the interim, volleyball games will be played in a back-up gym located in the multipurpose module; this same space will also offer theater arts students a chance to practice on a stage that is similar to the stage used in competition.

The damaged floor in the old gym had to be replaced and it was covered by insurance; that means the school district will recoup $120,000 to be re-invested in this project, possibly in the form of new bleachers in the gym after the 2018-2019 basketball season.

School officials expect to receive a temporary Certificate of Occupancy by the middle of August and be ready for the first day of school August 27.

(L-R) Joe Passanisi and Dr. Beaty inspect one of the new science labs.

Facility planning areas and classrooms will have more glass to allow easy observation of activities. A state-of-the-art security system includes cameras inside and outside the building.

This auxiliary gym will host volleyball games for the 2018 season. The building can be reconfigured for band, choir and theater arts with a seating capacity of 800.

Classrooms can be reconfigured in a variety of ways.

Although subdued shades of gray are featured, there is still plenty of purple to be found.

Dr. Beaty and Joe Passanisi tour the library in the new Bonham High School.