Residents attending

Tuesday's Coweta County Board of Education meeting got a clear picture

of how fast the county is growing.

School official

John Boren told the board the county's school enrollment has jumped by

more than 1,500 from the same time last year.

The school

system's enrollment has now topped 18,000 and shows no sign of slowing

down.

Public information

officer Dean Jackson said the school system estimated an additional 600-700

students this year and is doing everything it can to accommodate the enormous

growth.

Classrooms

are currently under construction at White Oak Elementary on Lora Smith

Road, which is one of the high growth areas in the county.

The board also

approved a bid of $51,000 for media furniture at the new Willis Road Elementary

School. Superintendent of education Richard Brooks said work at the school

is almost complete.

"We'll

have the luxury of having the entire summer to move in and get it set

up," he said.

The media furniture

should arrive in June, he added.

The system

also is getting ready for additions at East Coweta High School and Northgate

High that would be built if voters approve an extension of the system's

special sales tax March 19.