When students first enter the new Julia P. Bryant Elementary School Monday, it’s going to be a jungle. Or a trip into outer space. Or maybe an archaeological adventure – every wing has a different theme.
      Julia P. Bryant is one of two new schools welcoming students this year. Portal Middle/High School students will enter the halls of a brand-new structure as well.
      Public schools across Bulloch County begin the 2010-11 year Monday with the first day of classes.
      Also, while Mattie Lively Elementary students won’t exactly be in a new school, it will be new to most; the school’s students are temporarily housed in the old Julia P. Bryant building while the current Mattie Lively building is demolished and a new one built in its place, said Bulloch County Assistant School Superintendent Charles Wilson.
      Sallie Zetterower Elementary students start school Monday in the familiar old buildings off Brannen Street, but come January, the new Sallie Zetterower Elementary will be finished, and students will start classes at the Cawana Road site, he said.
       Julia P. Bryant Elementary School, located at the corner of Stockyard Road and West Main Streets, is unique in its design, inside and out. Gray brick covers the school, and as visitors enter the main building, modern design welcomes them with an inviting foyer, with a reception window where visitors can see into the main office.
      A bearskin rug lies in the trophy case ( the school mascot is the bear) and when visitors enter the main hall and cafeteria area, a stuffed antelope head, a blue marlin, and an astronaut hang overhead. One wing sports dinosaur skeletons and footprints on the hallway floor; another is designed like a jungle, with animal spoor leading the way down the hall. Another hallway is designed with a nautical theme, awash in ocean blues and aquatic décor, and the space hallway has planets scattered along the walkway.
      A huge map of the world graces the floor of the cafeteria.
      Wilson said the school is of very unique design and will be attractive to students and visitors alike.
      The new middle/high school in Portal is more traditional, but is a tremendous improvement over the older school, he said.
       Designed in earth tones accented with the “Portal Blue,” the school will offer much more room and versatility, he said. While the gymnasium won’t be open for another week, due to delays in construction, students will enjoy the openness of the modern facility.
      Classrooms will be of ample size, with room for growth in attendance, he said. “It’s a handsome school.”
The cafeteria will have a stage, and behind it, the arts, music, and chorus classrooms are located in close proximity, so the classes will be able to easily utilize the stage, he said.
      Rain delayed the completion of the parking lots, but that is expected t be corrected soon, he said. And although the demolition of the school’s historic old gym raised mixed reaction from some sentimental citizens, the removal of the gym that was so close to U.S. 80 will make things safer for students and has transformed the landscape, bringing a fresh new look to the town of Portal.
      Wilson said as long as people can stick to the traffic plans until the paving is complete, the start of classes at Portal should run smoothly.