The Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education approved funds to start construction of the district’s fourth high school at its regular meeting Thursday..

Board members approved a contract sum of $6,755,053 to Gilbane Building Co. That amount is a fraction of the $54 million in construction costs. The sum includes $6,284,940 for the estimated cost of the work; Gilbane’s personnel costs of $144,554; and $94,274 in contingency, or surprised costs; and Gilbane’s fee of $113,129.

The sum will go towards the early site package to be completed by June 30, 2018; and completion of the site utilities and building pad by the end of this year.

The district’s Director of Business Management Jeff Gordon said construction should start by the end of next week if the permits are approved in time.

Ground was broken on the yet-to-be-named high school along Berlin Station Road on June 9.

The district will benefit from building previous schools in recent years. Bill O’Sullivan of Construction Analysis LLC is a consultant on the project for the district and its liaison with Gilbane. He’s worked on 15 other school buildings for the district, and said that replicating parts from those projects will reduce uncertainty.

“We certainly want to take advantage of that,” O’Sullivan said.

Gordon said repeating the process should keep contingency costs down.

Total project costs for 303,000 square-foot high school are about $69.6 million, according to prior reports from The Gazette. The school is expected to open August 2018.

“We should be in good hands,” Superintendent Mark T. Raiff said.

The board also moved up its next meeting to Aug. 4 to approve its next portion for the project. Gordon said it will help Gilbane to lock in vendors and speed up the process before the cold weather arrives.