ROME, Ga. — Starting Friday, Rome City Schools will open the new Rome Middle School, welcoming students in grades six through eight to a campus officials say was designed for innovation and academic excellence.
The new middle school marks the first time the school district will have all three middle grades at a single campus.
The project started in January 2023 when the Rome City Commission voted to approve construction bonds, funded through E-SPLOST.
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District leaders said moving the middle school students to the new facility gives the district more classroom space at elementary schools for future enrollment needs.
“As a city school district, we are incredibly grateful for the partnership of the Rome City Commission, the leadership of our Board of Education and the continued support of our community,” Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland said in a statement. “This school represents what is possible when a community comes together around one common purpose — providing our children with the very best educational opportunities.”
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The superintendent said the heart of the new campus is a modern media center designed to promote literacy through a spacious library, technology integration and flexible seating.
Holland said the goal of the instructional space is to help students develop a lifelong passion for reading and research and “every space within this school was designed to support that vision.”
Beyond academics, the facility includes expanded instructional spaces for fine arts and athletic programs.
Safety measures were a primary focus during the planning and construction phases, resulting in a facility equipped with secure entry vestibules and advanced surveillance systems.
The campus also features weapons detection technology and a FEMA-rated tornado safe room to protect students and staff during severe weather. Holland emphasized that every decision was guided by a commitment to protecting employees and students.
“Parents deserve to know that when they send their children to school each day, they are entering an environment where safety is always our highest priority,” Holland said.
Preparation for the new school year involved three years of coordination among teachers, administrators, architects and engineers.
During the past year, the district aligned curricula and conducted professional learning sessions to ensure staff members were ready for the transition.
Holland noted that the Board of Education and the Rome City Commission shared a vision to create an exceptional middle school experience.
“This opening represents the work of an entire community,” Holland said. “I could not be more proud of what we have accomplished together.”
Holland said the new school was a long-term investment in Rome’s youth.
“This building represents far more than bricks and mortar,” Holland said. “It represents hope, opportunity and our community’s belief in the future of every child. Years from now, thousands of students will walk these halls and I hope they recognize that this school was built because an entire community chose to invest in them.”
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