LEBANON — School officials expect architects to have designs for a new high school and elementary school ready by May.

        The architects are working now to decide where to position both schools on the 84-acre Drake Road site. They are also meeting with teachers to gather ideas on classroom designs that will correspond with programs in the schools, said Superintendent Bill Sears.

        The superintendent said it takes five to six months to gather the information and submit drawings.

        Architects from the firm SFA-BHOP will design the $32 million high school, which will accommodate 1,400 students, expandable to 1,600 students. The $14.7 million Bowman Elementary School will be designed by the architects of Voorhis, Sloan, Crossland and Welch. That school will be built for 1,000 students.

        When the schools open in 2004, Mr. Sears said, there will be a reassignment of grade levels in the present schools.

        Holbrook Elementary now has kindergarten through third grade; Dunlavy and Louisa Wright Elementary are grades one through three; Donovan Intermediate grades four and five; and Berry Middle grades six through eight. In 2004, Louisa Wright will be entirely kindergarten; the new elementary school, Bowman, will be grades one and two; Donovan grades three and four; Berry, grades five and six; and the current Lebanon High School — yet to be renamed — will be grades seven and eight.

        The new high school will be grades 9-12.

        Holbrook and Dunlavy will close. Mr. Sears said no decision has been made on what will be done with the buildings, but said the schools could be used again, depending on future enrollment increases.

        The superintendent said the Lebanon area is growing at a fast pace and the school district needs to be able to meet the growth demands. He said that with construction comes the added bonus of updating technology and security for students.

        Drake Road was chosen by community consensus as the site for the schools over a smaller, 40-acre site near the high school on Ohio 48. Mr. Sears said he also favored Drake Road because of the scenic landscape, and because it had space for both new schools.

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