Savannah-Chatham school leaders outline second semester plans

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) leaders outlined their plans for the second semester and beyond during a press conference Friday afternoon, days after students returned from winter break.

Superintendent Dr. Denise Watts said one of the district’s biggest focus areas revolves around Promise Scholarship schools, which are schools that fall into the bottom 25 percent of state performance rankings.

In 2024, the state legislature passed a bill allowing students in the bottom 25 percent of schools to claim a $6,500 scholarship for non-public education expenses, including homeschooling and tutoring. This year, the district had 18 schools fall into that category.

Watts said that has impacted both funding and enrollment, creating new challenges for the district.

She said the district has been working with low performing schools to improve academic performance.

“Early indicators suggest as we look at attendance, assessments and culture within our school district - they give me great hope that the list of 18 schools will be reduced in the upcoming year because we are showing progress in school performance,” Dr. Watts said.

School safety remains a priority

Another major topic discussed was school safety, which comes after an incident over winter break when a student was shot in the hand at Hubert Middle School after a gun accidentally fired during an after-school basketball practice.

Terry Enoch, the chief of campus police, said weapons access on campus is a serious concern and that the district is reviewing potential changes following the incident.

“We’re doing an after-action review of that incident, like we do with any incident. Some of them don’t make the media, but we’re constantly looking at what we’re doing and what we can do better. We do that district-wide, when an opportunity presents itself - we take advantage of it,” Enoch said.

Enoch said efforts to prevent these incidents include additional staff training, technology including security cameras and weapons detection devices, and partnerships with law enforcement. He urged families to secure guns at home and have conversations with their children about the dangers of firearms.

District growth brings redistricting considerations

Leaders also discussed the district’s growth, with Dr. Watts saying they’re seeing growth across the region, though it can be varied depending on the area. They’re looking at possible redistricting in western parts of the county, specifically in Pooler and Bloomingdale.

Listen to the full remarks from SCCPSS Superintendent Dr. Denise Watts below: