PROPHETSTOWN – Good weather, the local workforce and sandy soil all will play roles in an early finish of the new Tampico Elementary School, the builder says.

The Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico school district project started in October at the site of the current Tampico Middle School; by December, workers already were 8 weeks ahead of schedule because of the unusually warm winter.

It should be done by Aug. 1, said Phil Thiele, project manager for Chicago-based Gilbane Building Co. That will be nearly 3 weeks before the Aug. 20 start of school.