Looks can be deceiving is a motto that fits Lehighton Area School District's middle and high schools well right now.

After a summer of renovations at both buildings, the look of the outsides of the schools has sparked social media rumors that classes won't start on Tuesday as scheduled.The insides of the schools, however, tell a different story.Staff and administrators were busy Thursday putting final touches on classrooms with desks and chairs in place, plastic still covering them in some cases."We'll be ready for Tuesday," Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said. "We've passed our above-ceiling inspections and we have one final review Friday. Everything we needed to have completed inside in order for us to have occupancy, we have done that."From the outset of the $25.7 million renovations, Cleaver and project managers have said the timeline calls for certain work to continue after the start of school.Part of that work includes finishing the exterior of the buildings."The outside has nothing to do with the inside," Cleaver said. "This project isn't actually scheduled to be totally completed until next summer. Work on the outside will continue into the fall."Lehighton has made sure that all fire exits to the outside of the building are clear.Cleaver credited teachers who have been on site the past few weeks getting the building "up and ready."Sixth-grade science teacher Todd Serfass said "he was amazed at the amount of work completed in such a quick time period," as he surveyed workers installing window blinds in his classroom Thursday."With our new science casework, we have a lot more room to be organized, and the feel you get in here is amazing," Serfass said. "This is a place that the students are going to enjoy learning in. This is the nicest place I've taught in 35 years."Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning renovations are the major focus of the renovations. Ceiling tiles continue to be put in place Thursday, but air conditioning pumped through the middle school for the first time.Energy efficiency was also a key component as each classroom has motion activated lights. Different temperatures can also be set dependent on whether there is motion inside the classrooms.The McClure Company installed the HVAC system for $7.72 million and will save the district over $80,000 per year in utility savings.Secure entrances were added to both buildings. Visitors can now be in the main office area without entering the rest of the school."Over the weekend our staff will be in here polishing the floors and doing the last-minute things," Cleaver said. "We're excited for the return of our students."