Old Lyme — The Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education voted Wednesday to authorize repairs to the exterior of the Center School, where large sections of paint peeled after the harsh winter.

The board awarded a contract of up to $20,000 to M. Brett Painting to scrape the paint off and repaint the exterior bricks of the building.

The school's exterior has several layers of paint, some of them with lead, according to the project description.

John Rhodes, the district's facilities and technology director, said the district annually maintains the building's exterior paint, but the challenging winter caused more paint to blister than usual.

The repairs will begin following the Center School's summer programs, the description states.

Rhodes said the district will evaluate options in the future, such as removing the paint or replacing the bricks, if the issue continues to accelerate.

During the 2014-15 school year, Center School held fifth-grade and preschool classes.

Next year, the school building will house prekindergarten classes and the district's administrative offices.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich