Photo Above: The Bremen City Schools Board of Education welcomed new hires, Austin Barron, teacher at Bremen High School, and Stacy Bumgarner, registrar for Bremen Academy and Bremen Middle School, during the December meeting.
The Bremen City Schools Board of Education opened its December meeting on Monday with the swearing-in of two re-elected members, then moved into financial updates, school recognitions, and district business. The meeting began with Haralson County Probate Judge J. Edward Hulsey administering the oath to swear in re-elected board members Vann Pelt and Brandon Barrow. Pelt is completing his sixteenth year of service and preparing to begin another term on January 1, 2026, while Barrow, marking eight years of service, will start his third term on the same date. Judge Hulsey emphasized the uniqueness of serving on the school board, saying, “It’s far more important than even being President of the United States. When someone elects someone to the presidency, you’re voting for an idea… People who select you for the jobs you have in local government they know you… You have been entrusted with the greatest asset this community has: its children, its future.” Both members received applause and thanks for their dedication.
Director of Finance Allen Pullen presented a thorough review of November’s financials. SPLOST collections from Haralson and Carroll counties totaled $274,088.79 for the month. Local property tax collections were also reviewed. For 2025, local taxes for Bremen City Schools are budgeted at $6,393,138. In November, the district collected $109,047 in local taxes, bringing the FY25 total collected to $139,892, or 2.2% of the budget. Title Ad Valorem Tax collections are projected at $500,000 for FY26. For November, Title Ad Valorem Tax collections totaled $50,266, bringing the FY26 total to $197,960, which is 39.6% of the budget. Pullen noted that compliance with Senate Bill 68 was maintained, with the required monthly financial report emailed to board members. The Board unanimously approved the November finance reports. Pullen also referenced the in-progress annual immigration report (due December 31) and the RFP for a tax anticipation note, expected to be ready before the holiday break.
Following the finance report, the Board approved the agenda and moved through a range of consent agenda items. These included board minutes from November, a new policy for student electronic device use (Board Policy JCDAF: Use of Electronic Devices by Students, which recently completed a period of public review without feedback), the election results resolution, an RFP for the tax anticipation note, a service agreement with Cartwheel, and approval of the “highly anticipated” 2026–27 and 2027–28 school calendars. Also approved was a contract with SyncGlobal Telecom.
Assistant Superintendent Silas Brown noted in his report that Jones Elementary was designated a 2024–2025 Title I distinguished school. Lindsay Long accepted the recognition during the meeting. Community partners were present for formal school recognitions. Eileen Delaine, northwest Georgia’s school climate specialist, presented Bremen 4th and 5th Academy and Bremen Middle with the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Distinguished School Recognition. She stated: “PBIS is a framework for creating positive learning environments… This is the highest level of PBIS recognition, showing excellence in reducing office referrals, improving suspension rates, and ensuring data-based decision making.” Both schools were designated as PBIS schools for the 2024–25 school year.
Bill Garrett, director of programs and activities, included celebrations of athletic achievement in his report. Five student athletes, Marley Derringer (track), Annabel Langley (softball), Justin Faulkner (football), Elijah Strong (lacrosse), and Cooper Mixey (baseball), signed scholarships to compete at the collegiate level. Winter sports are off to a strong start, with basketball, wrestling, and swim teams notching early success.
Nutrition Director Jessica Peaden shared that free and reduced lunch numbers have climbed to 30.71%, up from 16% two years ago, directly due to “hundreds of phone calls and outreach” done by Peaden and her team to eligible families. This number allowed the district to qualify for over $300,000 in grant funding to cover student field trips and additional services. She also announced that the district had received a Standard of Excellence Award for community engagement and a $5,000 family donation to help cover holiday school lunches.
The Board approved retirements, resignations, and new hires. Among them, Bert Barrow’s retirement from Jones Elementary School, effective May 29, 2026, passed by board vote 4–1, with Brandon Barrow in lone opposition, making this the first split vote in 13 years. The emphasis is on bringing well-discussed, consensus-driven issues to the table. An appointment for Austin Barron as a Bremen High School teacher was approved unanimously, along with several others joining in both instructional and support roles, including Stacy Bumgarner as Registrar for Bremen Academy/Bremen Middle School, Tracy Treece as an afterschool worker and cafeteria substitute, Neva Trish Carballar as a substitute teacher, Jacob Bumgarner as a community coach for BHS wrestling, and Mackenzie Olvey as a community coach for BHS competitive cheer. Special care was taken to recognize new hires, with Superintendent Shannon Christian’s remarks welcoming them, “When we bring new staff here, we want you to know you get full support, not just from the board, but from all of us.”
