Ceres Unified School District has sent out invitations to the Saturday, May 14 dedication ceremony to open Cesar Chavez Junior High School. However, the public is invited to attend.

Officials from the district will speak at the 11 a.m. event, and offer tours of Ceres' newet school.

Located on at Whitmore Avenue and Eastgate Drive, the new $35 million school will alleviate overcrowding at the Mae Hensley and Blaker Kinser junior high school campuses. The school receives its first students in August.

"The gym will be under construction when school starts," said CUSD Assistant Supt. of Business Services Fred Van Vleck. "We hope to have it finished for basketball season."

A number of Ceres school sites will be transformed over the next 11 to 17 months as part of an ambitious $60 million construction program.

A 16-classroom wing will be added between the multi-use and B buildings at Central Valley High School. The $10.8 million improvement will be completed in 18 months. The new building will house 400 students.

The following projects will be completed within a year:

• Adding 14 new classrooms at Walter White School;

• Adding seven new classrooms at Ceres High School;

• Adding four new classrooms at Argus;

• Adding three new classrooms at Virginia Parks;

• Adding a preschool classroom, a staff room and a front office at Don Pedro;

• Adding three new kindergarten classrooms and a library/office complex at La Rosa.