BOARD MEETING BRIEF District Mission - "To ignite a passion for learning and teaching at high levels."

M. Ann Levett, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

Savannah-Chatham Co.

Public School System

208 Bull Street

Savannah, GA 31401

(912) 395-5600

SCHOOL BOARD Jolene Byrne President Julie M. Wade District 1 Dionne Hoskins-Brown District 2 Cornelia H. Hall District 3 Shawn A. Kachmar District 4 Irene Hines District 5 Larry Lower Vice-President District 6 Michael Johnson Vice President Pro Tempore District 7 Mrs. Ruby D. Jones District 8

Highlights from the April 11, 2018 Board Meeting

260 Day Employees Work Calendar Change! Twelve Month Employees will

now be on a 250 Day Work Calendar

Policy GARH and Administrative Regulation GARH-R(1) – Employee Leaves and

Absences, Policy GBRB and Administrative Regulation GBRB-R – Professional

Personnel Time Schedules, and Policy GBRK – Professional Personnel Vacations

have been modified to reflect the change in annual work days of a twelve-month

employee from 260 to 250. The changes align with other Georgia school districts and

support District goals for employee recruitment and retention. This change was

presented for first read at the March Board meeting and approved on Wednesday, April

11th.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQR863818E

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9PDN640089

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9PHQ643128

CCRPI Report! The Board was provided with a report on the district’s College and

Career Ready Performance Index from School Year 2016-17. Under the district’s

Georgia Flexibility Options SWSS/IE2 performance contract, each school is expected to

annually improve the CCRPI score by at least 3% of the difference between the SY

2015-16 score and 100. Some key points from the report include:

The district’s Overall score was 66.9, representing an improvement of 2.4 points

compared to last year.

Overall scores also improved at both the state and comparison group level. The

district outpaced the state gain of 1.4 points, while the comparison group

achieved similar improvement, with a gain of 2.3 points. The state and

comparison group Overall scores reached 75 and 68.8, respectively.

The district’s middle grades score rose by more than 5 points, and for the first

time surpassed the elementary grade band score with a total of 65.5 points. .

While the district’s Overall score remains below both the state and comparison

group in elementary grades, the district exceeded the state and comparison

group gains.

For the third consecutive year, the district outperformed its comparison group in

grades 9-12 in both the Core and Overall scores. In SY 2016-17, the district

earned higher scores than the comparison group within both the Achievement

and Achievement Gap components.

The majority of schools met or exceeded their annual 3% improvement target for

the Core Score without Challenge Points, including Bloomingdale, Brock, Butler,

Garden City, Gould, Haven, Hodge, Howard, Pooler, Pulaski, Southwest

Elementary, Thunderbolt, West Chatham Elementary, White Bluff, Windsor

Forest Elementary, East Broad, Ellis, Garrison, Georgetown, Isle of Hope, Rice

Creek, Coastal, DeRenne, Hubert, Myers, Southwest Middle, STEM, West

Chatham Middle, Beach, Johnson, New Hampstead, Savannah Arts, the School

of Liberal Studies at Savannah High, Woodville-Tompkins, and Tybee Island

Maritime.

Among the 12 schools with Overall scores below 60 in 2014, 2015, and 2016, three

exited 360 status by achieving an Overall score of 60 or higher in 2017 – Haven,

Southwest Middle, and West Chatham Middle.

For the full report click here:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQRF638195

School Climate Report!

The Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) implemented the School Climate Rating

system as an extension to the annual CCRPI report beginning in SY 2013-14. The GADOE

climate rating system currently includes school-level data within four climate domains: (1)

School Climate Surveys (2) Student Discipline (3) Safe and Substance-Free Learning

Environment and (4) School Wide Attendance.

The district target is to improve the percentage of schools earning a School Climate Star

Rating of 3 or more to 78% or higher by SY 2019-20.

CCRPI School Climate Star Ratings SY 2016-17 – Key Points:

Eighty-two percent (82%) of schools earned a climate star rating of 3 or higher – a

gain of 18 points compared to last year.

The district surpassed the 2020 target, and exceeded its comparison group by 9

points.

Median overall climate scores ranged from 81 among high schools to 90 among

elementary schools.

The number of schools earning a 5 star rating increased from one to six. Five-star

schools include Gadsden, Pooler, Williams, Coastal, Tybee Island Maritime, and for

two consecutive years, Early College.

The number of schools earning a 2 star or less rating was reduced by half, dropping

the number from 20 to 10. The remaining 10 sites include Brock, Gould, Low,

Thunderbolt, East Broad, Isle of Hope, Mercer, Myers, The School of Liberal Studies

at Savannah High, and Savannah Classical.

For the complete report on School Climate ratings follow this link:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9PHZ644E70

Safety & Security Funding Overview

At the Informal Meeting of the Board, Campus Police Chief Terry Enoch provided Board

members with an overview of safety and security enhancements for our schools and what

the enhancements would cost. The Chief detailed some steps that have already been taken,

such as the use of security aides, launching a school visitor management system, and the

construction of school vestibules. Chief Enoch also provided a forward planning list of short

range priority items for consideration in the implementation of a comprehensive security plan.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9NWZ61FE8A

Budget Process Update

Also at the Informal meeting, Chief Financial Officer Larry Jackson provided an update to the

Board on the Budget Process. Budget Priorities include:

Compensation Plan –Year 3 (Cost of Living Adjustment)

Security Enhancements

24/7 Central Fire Monitoring Station

Contribution to School Food Services

School Wellbeing and Support Staff

Purchase of 18 modular classrooms at Godley Station

Athletic Fields Treatment Program

The recommended budget is expected to be presented on May 7th.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9NVT61CC9D

Sharing the Good News!

The Superintendent’s Student of the Month for March was announced! Congratulations Kerrington Gilliard, a senior at Savannah Early College!

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQMQ63811E

Community Spotlight Technology Grants – Senator Lester Jackson was recognized

for his efforts during the 2017 Legislative Session to secure technology grants in the

amount of $700,000 dollars that benefitted Haven, Hodge and Brock Elementary Schools.

The “Technology Tools for Teachers” grant was distributed through the Governor’s Office

of Student Achievement and the OneGeorgia Authority.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQMV638123

ESPLOST III PROJECTS GET UNDERWAY!

General Contracting Services for the Culinary Arts Lab at Savannah High

School The Board voted to approve a $994,274 bid from RL Construction Group,

Inc. of Savannah to construct the new Culinary Arts Lab as part of the Career

Academy at Savannah High.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AS8TPN77ED98

Design Professional Services for the Replacement of White Bluff Elementary

School The Board approved the selection of James W. Buckley & Associates, Inc.

as the firm to design the replacement school for White Bluff Elementary pending

final contract negotiations to be approved by the Superintendent.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AS8TQ977EDAB

Design Professional Services for Jenkins High School Replacement Project

The Board approved the selection of Hussey, Gay, Bell and International, Inc., as

the firm to design the replacement school for Jenkins High pending final contract

negotiations.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=ASFTM9780176

Thunderbolt Facility to be Used for Film Offices! The Board Ratified a

Contract/Facility Use Agreement that will allow Gemini Pictures, LLC to use the

former Thunderbolt Elementary School as a film production office for personnel and

equipment, camera test space, screening room, lab and other similar uses in

connection with the filming and/or recording of scenes in connection with the

Picture. The company will pay the district $26,000 a month to do so.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=ASGT6G75D674

Policy Adopted!

Board Policy JBCCA(2): Unsafe School Choice Option has been modified to

reflect changes in the amended State Board Rule. The policy was also updated to

include the transfer guidelines included in the State Board Rule for victims of violent

criminal offenses.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AS8TPQ77ED9A

New Technology Approved! The Board approved the Division of Academic

Affairs establishing a contract with “Performance Matters” to provide a Unify Data

Suite complete solution that will allow staff to use connected data to make informed

meaningful learning decisions. This Early Warning Detection System will allow

American Red Cross Youth Heroes - Five SCCPSS students have been named

American Red Cross Youth Heroes in recognition of their volunteer activities addressing

community needs within Southeast and Coastal Georgia. The award winners are: Eighth

Grade student Laurel Lingenfelter of Stem Academy; Ninth Grade student Rio

Washington, Eleventh Grade student TyJuan Maynor, and Twelfth Grade student Matin

Bahmanabadi of New Hampstead High School; and Eleventh Grade student Nicholas

Fields of Savannah Early College

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHK65504439

Gates Scholarship Program Finalist! New Hampstead High School Senior

Christopher Washington has been named a finalist for the prestigious Gates Scholarship

Program. On April 20th, Christopher will find out if he is one of the 300 Gates Scholarship

recipients who will be guaranteed a full ride to college. We want to wish Mr. Washington

luck and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition!

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHK7V5076FD

Johnson High AD of the Year! Johnson High School Athletic Director Ashley

Tremble-Hamer has been named the Region 3-AAA Athletic Director of the Year by the

Georgia Athletic Director’s Association following a vote by her peers. Just a few of the

things Ashley did to deserve this award include:

Serves as Class 3-AAA Region President

Serves as the Johnson High School advisor to Cheerleading, Cross Country, and Track

Serves as Game Manager for SCCPSS Football games

Served as one of the hosts for the Memorial Health Holiday Classic Tournament We are also proud of her contributions to the Johnson High Lady Atomsmasher’s who

won the State 3-AAA Basketball Championship this year!

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHKBN50845B

Student and Professional Senate Reports!

Reports from our Student Senate as well as from our Teacher of the Year and

Instructional Support Person of the Year were presented.

This month the student report was given 9th grader Hanna Bemis and 11th grader Seth

Porras of the School of Liberal Studies at Savannah High.

Student Report:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQNC638132

Professional Report:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9P2C627C26

First Reads!

Board Policy JAA – Equal Educational Opportunities and Board Policy JBC – School

Admissions have been modified to ensure married students and pregnant students are

eligible for enrollment in the regular school program, provided they meet all criteria required

of other eligible students, and are not discriminated against. It is recommended that Board

Policy JQF – Married Students and Board Policy JQE – Pregnant Students be removed

from the policy manual as the criteria will be incorporated in Board Policy JAA – Equal

Educational Opportunities and Board Policy JBC – School Admissions.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHKFX514759

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9P8A62CDDF

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHKGF516C54

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHKKT51C54E

Board Policy JBC(1) and Administrative Regulation JBC(1)-R – Homeless

Students have been modified to align language in accordance with the requirements of

the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AX9P8M62E6DF

Regulation Changes!

Administrative Regulation IFAA-R – Textbook Selection and Adoption has been

modified to clarify various aspects of textbook selection and adoption.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQNP63813D

Administrative Regulation IFBGA-R(0) – Electronic Communications has been

modified to support the latest changes in technology and further establish expectations

regarding the use of email communications.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHL94539FF0

Exhibit GBU-E(1) – Professional Personnel Ethics – Code of Ethics for Educators

will be replaced by the updated Code of Ethics for Educators document dated January 1,

2018.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHL9H53BAAF

Legislative Update!

A legislative update was provided regarding the 2018 Legislative Session. The

session closed on March 29 and the Governor now has 40 days to take action on

bills that make it to his desk. For a report on legislative action, please click the link:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXJVLK814779

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) 2018 Legislative Positions The Board took action and adopted GSBA 2018 Legislative Positions

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQNY638146

Board President Jolene Byrne has been appointed the delegate, with District 1 School

Board Representative Julie Wade serving as alternate, to represent the Board during the

Georgia School Boards Association’s (GSBA) Delegate Assembly on June 8, 2018 in

Savannah.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHLA753D48C

Early College High School Week! The Board has proclaimed April 9-13, 2018 as Early College High School Week to

recognize the valuable contributions of our Early College High School. Early College

focuses on enabling youth underrepresented in higher education (i.e., low-income youth,

first-generation college goers, English language learners, students of color) to earn

postsecondary credentials, thus bridging America’s achievement gap. 90 percent of

students graduate with at least some college credit, and 30 percent graduate with a

diploma and college credential in hand. This college credit is earned tuition free, at a time

when one year at a public four-year college costs an average $17,800 (including tuition,

fees, room, and board)!

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHLB753FCA8

National Autism Awareness Month! The Board has proclaimed the month of April 2018 National Autism Awareness Month

within the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. Autism Awareness Month

aims to make the public more aware about this widespread developmental disability and

the issues which arise in the autism community

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXJTEQ74E5A2

GMA Financing for School Buses! The District has recently purchased 42 school

buses from Yancey Bus Sales and Services, LLC. The Board approved financing 31 of

these buses for $3,360,955 through the Georgia Municipal Association’s Lease Pool

Program.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHM6Y57C154

Summer Feeding Program 2018 Approved! The School Nutrition Program has

again been offered the opportunity to provide meals for the City of Savannah Recreation

Department’s Summer Feeding Program. It is anticipated the program will provide an

estimated 90,000 meals over a thirty-eight (38) day period. The program dates will be

from May 29, 2018 through July 20, 2018. The School Nutrition staff will prepare and

deliver the lunches from Savannah High School and Gadsden Elementary School. The

City of Savannah will reimburse the School Nutrition Program $3.45 per meal to provide

the services.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHM7H57E845

Personal Responsibility Education Program Grant Funding - The Savannah-

Chatham County Public School System’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers seek

to enter into an agreement with the Georgia Department of Human Services through its

Division of Family and Children Services for reimbursable grant funding up to $90,000

dollars to support Personal Responsibility Education Programming. The Board approved

the resolution to enter into the contract.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHM9D58301C

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

Star Charter Start-up Petition Denied The Star Charter School submitted a New Start-up Charter School Application on January

8, 2018, for the establishment of a single gender school that will serve grades K-3 in the

first year of operation and expand to grades K-5 by year three with an enrollment of 270

students.

The District has conducted a review of the application and reviewed its recommendation

with Charter Petitioners. The document maintains the basis of a single gender school in

operation under a Local Educational Agency (LEA), which places the Board at legal risk

and is not consistent with state and federal statutes. As a result, prevailing legal

requirements have not been met in this application. In addition, administrative staff have

outlined a number of key concerns with the application and requested that the Board deny

the application.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXNTRU78AD37

ESPLOST Technology Update! $12,000,000 in Technology Funding! The Board received a report on the district’s five year Academic Technology Plan under

ESPLOST III. Some highlights:

Approximately 70 classrooms are expected to be outfitted with digital learning

devices through mini-grants each year.

Approximately 15 Learning Commons are expected to be outfitted with technology

and functional furnishings per year.

For the full report:

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AWZQRR63819F

Budget Adjustment

The FY 2018 budget as adopted included $1,000,000 for the QBE Midterm

Adjustment. This was based on the anticipated increase in the average FTE count and

historical increases in the Governor’s budget. The preliminary allotment sheets, based

upon the House’s budget proposal, shows a decrease in QBE earnings of $395,853.

Systems with declining enrollment Do Not lose State Funds in the Amended Budget (Hold

Harmless). In accordance with Board policy DCA, FY 2018 budgeted revenues and

expenditures must be adjusted at this time reduce the initial anticipated increase.

http://www.boarddocs.com/ga/sccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXHMFX596EA5

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System