Vineland, NJ (April 9, 2005) - Hundreds of people turned out for a major milestone today in this Cumberland County community: a Groundbreaking Ceremony to mark the start of construction of the first new school in Vineland in 26 years.

The new two-story 119,380-square-foot Vineland Middle School #1 is being built at Mill and Almond roads. The 21st century facility will provide state-of-the-art educational opportunities for 562 students in grades 6th through 8th.

The new school will include 18 general classrooms, 6 science labs, 6 special education classrooms, music and art rooms, computer and technology labs, speech classroom, occupational/physical therapy area, cafeteria, media center, main gymnasium and auxiliary gym, district central kitchen, health suite and district bus parking lot. Work is due for completion for the 2006-2007 school year.

The SCC and district officials also will break ground April 23 for a new elementary school at Lincoln Avenue and Menantico Road. Groundbreaking for Vineland's Center City elementary school is scheduled for May 21.

Vineland opened its last new school in 1979.

John F. Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of SCC, said, "The school projects in Vineland are examples of the strides that the SCC - in step with district officials and the building trades - is making toward providing top-flight facilities for our students statewide."

The SCC was initiated in 2002 to streamline the implementation of the program. It is the largest public construction program ever undertaken by the State of New Jersey and one of the largest of its kind in the nation.