FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO):  Officials with Northwest Allen County Schools have proposed a $178 million strategy to address enrollment growth.  According to The Journal Gazette, construction could start as early as February on the plan to address overcrowding within the district.  Officials presented details Monday about the three proposed projects – including a $101 million middle school – during the first of two hearings.

Currently the district has around 8,200 students and are preparing to build a third middle school and to renovate and expand Carroll High School because a demographer told leaders last fall to expect enrollment to increase by more than 800 in the next decade. Along with the schools, NACS is looking to build a 31,000-square-foot central office.

If approved, the district would finance the projects through first mortgage bonds.