The documents are ready, all that’s left is the green light to move forward with construction of Hermiston’s three new schools.

In a move anticipated to take place at Tuesday’s Hermiston School Board work session, Loofburrow Architects will present the finished design plans.

The board will have the opportunity to go over the plans again and ask any questions or make any changes.

They will also hear cost estimates from Chervenell Construction, general contractor for the $69.9 million bond project.

“This is the last opportunity for the board to make any changes (to the designs),” assistant superintendent Wade Smith said, “because it’s cost prohibitive to make changes once they’ve been approved.”?

Once the documents have been approved, it’s a just matter of “going forward and not looking back,” he added.

Armand Larive Middle School principal Steve Carnes is happy to see the district reach this point in the process.

“It’s a beautiful new school,” he said of the designs for the new middle school. “And set up perfectly for students and the community.”

Carnes particularly likes versatile design elements, pointing out the multiple gyms and the ability to use the commons area to seat more than 200 students for lunch as well seat parents and students for school plays.

He added, a lot of compliments should go to Smith and the architects for allowing staff and community comment to be used as a basis for all of the schools’ designs.

Meanwhile, there are a few years left in old the old building’s life that Carnes and his staff must see to.

“We’re enjoying our last few years here and taking good care of (the building),” he said.

The 50 percent Design Documents are available for viewing on the school district’s website under bond projects, http://www.hermiston.k12.or.us/growth, under the links to each school project.

Work on the civil projects for new Armand Larive Middle School are slated to start in late June, while preliminary construction on all three schools is scheduled to begin in December 2009.