The Coweta

County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to build the school system's

next elementary school on a U.S. Highway 29 site already owned by the

board in the city of Grantville. The school is anticipated to open in

August of 2004.

The school,

which will house approximately 500 students, is already planned as a part

of the $30 million priority list under the current one-cent Special Local

Option Sales Tax approved by voters in March.

"We've

already recognized the growth in that part of the county, and long recognized

the need for a school there, since we bought land in the city," said

Coweta County board member Rick Melville. "A new school in Grantville

will alleviate overcrowding in several other nearby school sites, and

it will benefit that part of the county and will enhance the quality of

life for citizens there. We look forward to working with the city of Grantville,

its administration and residents."

"For many

years, Grantville city officials have asked us to consider Grantville

as a site for a new school," said board Chairman Bill Covington.

"And we're pleased that we can accommodate the city and meet our

needs as a school system. This will be a wonderful new school."

The 20.832

acre site on which the school will be built lies between and adjoins the

existing Grantville Brown school site and Hwy. 29 south.

Grantville

Brown once served the city of Grantville as a school. The building is

owned by the Coweta County School System, and leased to the West Georgia

Regional Education Service Agency (RESA), serving Coweta County and five

other counties in the West Georgia region.

Construction

on the new school should begin in the middle of 2003.