Savannah-Chatham schools to open Aug. 3 with virtual report cards, cell phone pouches

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System held a media day Friday ahead of the first day of classes, set for Monday, Aug. 3.

Two changes will greet students across the district this year: virtual report cards accessible online and cell phone holders where students will store their personal devices during the school day.

Superintendent unveils 5-year strategic plan

Superintendent Denise Watts said the district’s focus on literacy will continue, but the approach will shift under her new five-year strategic plan.

“My goal for the new strategic plan is to really inspire people around the concept of future readiness, and the way that we’re going to do that is make sure that there’s a quality baseline experience for every child regardless of their zip code [or] teacher,” Watts said. “We want to expand education not just to the classroom but really begin to think about education beyond the classroom. What are those signature experiences that kids need?”

For the first day, the district identified three priorities: transportation, safety and security, and facility readiness. Watts said if those are met, teachers can focus on capturing students’ excitement at the start of a new school year.

Cell phone policy extends to high schools ahead of state mandate

While cell phone restrictions are a state policy, the state does not require high schools to comply until next year. Savannah-Chatham is implementing the policy at the high school level this year.

Samantha King, director of instructional technology and media services, said the district made the decision to get ahead of the mandate and to simplify implementation.

High school students will receive individual pouches they are responsible for throughout the school year, rather than placing phones into an assigned cubby. Students must bring the pouch to school each day, King said.

For students who use their devices to monitor medical conditions such as diabetes, the district will provide a different type of pouch.

“The difference here is once the phone is in here, it does not block the cell service signal so if they had an alert because their sugars are low or high, they would still be able to receive that notification,” King said.

Parents who need to reach students without a medical pouch can contact them through email during the school day, King said.

Several schools are also undergoing facility updates this year, including interior renovations at Georgetown K-8, where a new gymnasium is being added.

The district is directing families to its Back to School Hub webpage for additional information.