For the first time in nearly 50 years, a new school is under construction in Bremen.

Bremen City Schools administrators and City Council members gathered for the nearly $14 million school’s groundbreaking ceremony Monday.

“This is a big day for the Bremen city school system,” Superintendent Dr. Stanley McCain said. “We haven’t built a school since 1963 and are excited about the opportunities for the children we serve.”

The school will be located on Crosstown Village Parkway past Piggly Wiggly on Highway 78 land donated by Lamar Bell and other acreage purchased by the school system.

The facility will be a 110,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art two-level building housing an estimated 650 in grades 4-8.

“We are bursting at the seams at the elementary school,” Chairman Daryl Sellers said. “The new school is coming at a good time and will offer some relief.”

Funding for the facility came from several resources.

“This has been a cooperative effort. We received $3.8 million from the state and then the citizens of Bremen, Haralson County and Carroll through SPLOST dollars have made this school possible. This is an example of your tax dollars at work,” McCain said. “The cost for the building is $10.9 million and site improvements totaled $2.7 million.”

“This school is needed in the future with the growth of the area of Bremen and West Georgia, and the taxpayers have stood beside us and supported this,” board member Brandall Lovvorn said.

Bremen City Schools employees will be getting a raise, and new faculty will be added to handle growth if the system’s fiscal year 2007-08 budget passes June 11.

Due to expected increased enrollment for the upcoming year, the Bremen Board of Education has also tentatively approved several additional positions at H.A. Jones Elementary School, Sewell Middle School and Bremen High School.

Current student enrollment stands at 1,794, but the anticipated enrollment for the next school year is projected to be 1,875.

“We’ve added seven new positions, including two first- and third-grade teachers due to growth and state requirements, which only allow for 21 students in a classroom in grades first through third,” McCain said.

According to McCain, the new middle school is expected to be named “The Bremen Middle School and 4th and 5th Grade Academy” in honor of the people of Bremen who have supported the system.

“Each grade level will have its own science classroom in order to provide lab space for hands-on applications,” he said. “There will also be a gym, two athletic fields for baseball and softball as well as football, soccer and track.”

The school is expected to be completed and open in August 2008.