Gainesville City Schools has scheduled open houses at its other schools, except New Holland Elementary, where construction is expected to continue until November.

New Holland faculty and students will share space with Enota Elementary until the building on Barn Street at Jesse Jewell Parkway is open. Gainesville Elementary is on McEver Road Extension at Spring Road.

Formal dedications, which would feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours, could take place in September for Gainesville Elementary and in November for New Holland, Superintendent Steven Ballowe told the City Board of Education Monday night.

The school system also plans to set dates for dedicating the refurbished Enota and Fair Street elementary schools.

"We want to thank the community for supporting all we've done," Ballowe said.

The final costs of the new elementary schools will be about $15 million, said James Branson, the system's finance officer.

The school system used the 1-cent sales tax for school construction to build the schools, which were needed to accommodate a burgeoning school population. The system plans to open this fall with 4,600 students, up from 3,400 five years ago.

To better equalize the look of all its schools, the system launched an $830,000 renovation effort this summer at Enota and Fair Street, which between them have more than a century of history.

The school system ripped out old carpets, installed new tile, painted walls and made other fixes.

The system plans to pay for the work through issuing bonds through the Gainesville Redevelopment Authority. The state Board of Education has authorized the city to borrow money interest-free through the federal Qualified Zone Academy Bond program.

A $380,000 renovation project is planned for Gainesville Middle School under the program.

The school board also voted Monday to approve the installation of $17,000 playgrounds at the new elementary schools.