Students at Coupeville Elementary School will soon have some protection from the wind and rain that sweeps through Central Whidbey Island during the winter.

School officials hope a covered play area will be finished and ready for use at the elementary school by the time students return from Christmas break in January.

The school board approved a $318,000 contract with Bellingham-based Myers General during a special board meeting Monday evening. The project includes construction of a covered play area and improvements to the office area at the elementary school. Four companies submitted bids ranging from $318,000 to $413,000.

Superintendent Patty Page said that having the covered play area ready by January will offer students protection for most of the winter.

“We’re fast tracking it,” Page said. Construction will begin soon, in late September or early October.

The elementary school covered play area was one of the construction projects listed in the bond voters approved in 2004.

Other work at the elementary school is designed to improve building security. Plans call for expanding the administrative area to allow employees in the front office to be able to see who is entering and exiting the building. During the construction period, school administration will work out of the conference room. Page said this will be inconvenient but it will allow the construction work to get done faster.

She described the building work as a “minimal remodel” and school staff will continue using the existing furniture. She said the project was needed to add a safety element to Coupeville Elementary School.