Attached is a press release from the city of St. Ingbert with a request for publication.
"A new house for the FGTS…"
…that was the title of the song the children sang to welcome the guests. Jasmin Schaeffer, the director of the choir club, had specially written it for the opening of the new FGTS building.
With the opening of the new FGTS at the Albert-Weisgerber Elementary School, featuring modern care, learning, and recreational rooms, the city is creating future-proof conditions to meet the increasing demand for full-day care and is sustainably strengthening the school location as a modern place of learning and living for children.
Mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer thanked the children for the musical introduction and emphasized the importance of this educational institution in his speech: "With the new FGTS at the Albert-Weisgerber School, we are creating a high-quality offer for afternoon care while simultaneously investing in the best possible educational development of our children. Together with the CJD as an experienced sponsor, a modern place for learning and living has been created here that meets the demands of contemporary care. The groundwork for the two new FGTS buildings in St. Ingbert was already laid during the Corona period – an important advantage for early tenders and planning. St. Ingbert has consciously broken new ground in doing so and has developed pedagogical usage and space concepts that not only work today but also for the future. My sincere thanks go to everyone involved – the planners, architects, the school administration, and especially Silke White as the project manager from the city administration, who has accompanied this project with great dedication."
Also the responsible deputy Nadine Backes, herself principal at the Pestalozzi School Rohrbach, is proud of the successful new building: "The money invested here has been used very, very sensibly. The new FGTS here at this location offers space for 230 children. This meets the federal government's requirement that every child has a legal right to afternoon care starting in summer 2026. St. Ingbert fulfills this requirement, and we can be proud of that. I wish you children a great time. This house was built for you: Fill it with life!"
In a brief retrospective, Katharina Ruffing, the head of the FGTS, together with Susanne Biermeier, principal of the Albert-Weisgerber School, presented the new FGTS as a place that reflects how school is understood today. Not only as a place of learning, but as a living space for students, where they can simply be children.
On behalf of all students, Anni and Paul, both from the 4th grade, shared their thoughts about the new building. They had written down sentences from children when they first entered the beautiful and bright building. "It looks like a luxury hotel." "Are we allowed to stay here overnight?" "This is how I imagine Ronaldo's house." "I want to stay here forever."
There was not much more Dieter Thielen, Managing Director of CJD Homburg, could add: “This successful building enables our professionals to perform perfect educational work here. I would like to expressly thank the teachers and the city of St. Ingbert for the good cooperation. That is not always a given, and we greatly appreciate it.”
Mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer described the filling of the time capsule for the cornerstone as a historic moment. In addition to a signed document, a current daily newspaper, a set of coins, the newspaper of the FGTS children, and a list of names of all children and teachers were included.
The new rooms create optimal conditions for modern learning and living throughout the full school day. They provide space for communal lunch, creative activities, exercise, places to retreat, and social interaction. At the same time, they strengthen the close integration of morning and afternoon sessions, which has been deliberately promoted in St. Ingbert for years.
With the cutting of the red ribbon at the entrance door, the new FGTS was officially opened. A great day for the educational location St. Ingbert!
Timeline of construction measures:
July 2023: Building application
November 2023: Building Permit
February 2024: Start of construction
April 11, 2024: Groundbreaking
until October 2024: Completion of shell construction ground floor / Duration: approx. 6.5 months
November 2024: Completion of timber construction upper floor
from December 2024: Installation of windows
14.02.2025: Topping-out ceremony
from early 2025: ventilated wooden facade
20/04/2026: Commissioning of the building
12.05.2026: official opening
Photos: Thomas Bastuck
BU group photo from left to right: The symbolic handing over of the keys took place in the presence of local representative Irene Kaiser, Stephan Toscani, state chairman of CDU Saar, Katharina Ruffing, head of FGTS, mayor Nadine Backes, Susanne Biermeier, principal of Albert-Weisgerber School, mayor Dr. Ulli Meyer, Minister of Education Christine Streichert-Clivot, and Maximilian Raber, member of parliament.
BU2: The large, light-filled rooms of the new FGTS provide optimal conditions for modern learning and living for children.
