Warren County Public Schools is moving forward with a renovations project at Warren Central High School.

The district’s school board approved a phase two renovations schematic design during a special called meeting Thursday.

Chris McIntyre, the district’s chief financial officer, said the project is expected to cost upwards of $15 million and take 18 months to complete.

The next phase of renovations will involve demolishing the school’s oldest section, which includes the cafeteria and kitchen. Two classrooms and the band room will also be razed.

McIntyre told the Daily News those areas will be brought back with “a band room, storage area for band, practice area for band and a vocal classroom for chorus.” Two restrooms for boys and girls will also be added along with the two classrooms.

The new cafeteria will be a multi-use space.

“They will play basketball, volleyball, practice cheerleading. You name it. It will be a second gym,” McIntyre said.

The project will include electrical work and other improvements, including to the roof of the school.

The design plans authorized by the board will next go to the Kentucky Department of Education for approval.

After that, school and district officials will lay out the school’s design in more detail, seek final approval from the school board and state, and then bid the project out.

“We are hoping to get the project rolling as far as breaking ground by the first of the year,” he said.

The next phase of renovations at Warren Central High School are just one of several projects the district is planning.

Currently, the new Jennings Creek Elementary School is nearing completion and on track to open by the start of school Aug. 8. The district will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school at 2 p.m. Aug. 5.

Work will also continue on the district’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Project over the next 15 months.

The $30 million project will add energy-efficient lighting, solar panels, heating and cooling systems and other improvements to several schools.

The district expects to save $850,000 a year minimum from the project once it’s complete, with the money going toward repaying its $28 million bond.