WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – As students head back to the classroom, A.G. Cox Middle School is getting some much-needed renovations.

Parts of the school were built in 1936, and now crews are hard at work in the front of the school.

“It was a 1936 wood frame construction and it had just reached a point where it needed to be replaced,” said Aaron Errickson, the executive director of Pitt County Schools. “We tried to save them as much as possible when we can, but that one was beyond that point and needed to be completely replaced.”

The school will have a new front office and parking lot.

“For the parking lot, the subgrade is there, the curb and gutter is there,” Errickson said. “For the building, the structural steel is up, the block work is ongoing and they’re getting ready to start the roofing as well.”

Those features won’t be done in time for the new school year, but teaching and learning will go on as normal inside the building.

“Thankfully there are very few classrooms toward the construction area where we currently are,” Errickson said. “There is only three classrooms that actually have windows facing that construction activity. Because the walls are started on the exterior first, there’s very little physical work going on that will be visible for the students as far as a distraction.”

The school and construction company are working together to make sure the work doesn’t disrupt any morning or afternoon school traffic.

“It will still operate like it did last school year,” Errickson said. “Drop off and pickup will occur on Sylvania Street, and it will happen in the area that is labeled for the front office right now. That is still active until the new wing is available.”

Pitt County School leaders said the new section is on track to be complete by Christmas.