SCCPSS Re-Structuring of Schools: Vote Tomorrow

Savannah-Chatham County public schools may be a little different next year. That’s if the school board approves the "Passport to Excellence” plan tomorrow. Some schools would become neighborhood schools, others, P-8. Teachers at some buildings would see older or younger students than they're used to.

It's about informing the public and getting input, before changes are made. On Monday evening, district leaders answered explained the plan and answered questions at Shuman Middle School.

"But I wanted to have input from the parents before we vote on any particular situation," explains District 2 school board member, Floyd Adams.

Adams called the community meeting so parents could get answers about what's confusing them.

Dr. Thomas Lockamy, Savannah-Chatham School's superintendent lays out the play for the district; relocating Hodge to the old DeRenne Middle School, hopefully building a new Gadsden at it's current location (which they need state approval for) and making Garrison a dedicated P-8 visual and performing arts school taking the students in that specialty from Bloomingdale and Shuman. (8th grade will be added for the 2011 school year.) Rising 9th graders from the “new” Garrison can transition to the Savannah Arts Academy if they meet the standards. They’ll be automatically enrolled and will not have apply or audition.

"I have a 6th grader at Coastal. He wants to go on to Savannah Arts like his older brother who's in the 11th grade now at Savannah Arts. He wants to go into communication. He's got to go to Garrison?” one mother asks Lockamy.

"Not necessarily. It doesn't mean it if he's very talented in that area because visual performing arts and communication performing at savannah arts, it's more than just the academic part. It's having some special skill that you're a musician you're talented, and if you can meet those entrance requirements, there will be seats available,” Lockamy assures parents.

Shuman would become a K-5 neighborhood school next year.

"I'm not clear because when you say neighborhood schools, how is this any different than segregation?" asks a mother who doesn’t want to be identified.

"As far as the re-segregation of schools, we only have 5 schools in the entire county that are majority white. Those are Bloomingdale, Pooler, May Howard, Marshpoint and Savannah Arts,” explains Lockamy.

School district officials say the majority is a minority. In fact, there's always been a majority minority.

Several other schools in the district are also slated for changes next year.

On the Islands:

Coastal Middle will convert to a high school accelerated by one year and will have open enrollment for the biological/Environmental sciences program there.

Islands elementary would become a middle school.

In East Savannah:
Shuman Becomes a K-5 neighborhood school
Spencer remains a neighborhood P-5 school with Core Knowledge
East Broad becomes a P-8 neighborhood school in the fall of 2010 with a phase in of the upper grades over a span of 3 years. (with Core Knowledge)
Thunderbolt remains open as a P-% neighborhood school for the foreseeable future with funding for repairs comes from monies that would have funded repairs at 208 Bull Street.

West Savannah:
Hodge Elementary closes on June 30th, 2010 and is relocated to the old DeRenne middle school facility in the fall of ‘10(contingent on Housing Authority of Savannah (HAS) conveyance of property for the new Gadsden by June 30th, 2010 and results of the feasibility study/available funding for capital expenditures to renovate the new facility.
New Beach High is built on the combined Beach/Hodge campus.
New Gadsden is built on its current location (contingent on acquisition of property from (HAS) as a neighborhood P-5 school with core knowledge

Mid-Town:
Bartlett is reconstituted and remains a 6-8 school (to serve students from midtown) and adds the Middle School Center for Advanced Learning open enrollment program (From DeRenne) rather than becoming a dedicated 6-12 school.
J.G. Smith remains P-5 “traditional” school with the Core Knowledge sequence and open enrollment.
Heard Elementary remains P-5 “advanced learning school” with the Core Knowledge sequence and open enrollment. Rising 6th grade students who complete Heard program and continue to meet the advanced learning criteria will be automatically enrolled at the Middle School Center for Advanced Learning at Bartlett without reapplication.

West Chatham:
Bloomingdale becomes a neighborhood P-5 school

Southside:
Georgetown becomes a neighborhood P-8 school in the fall of 2010 (phase in upper grades over 3 years)

The proposed changes will be up for a vote Wednesday morning.

For more information click here.

Previous Story:
A community meeting is being held on the future of Shuman Middle School and is being hosted by District 2 board member, Floyd Adams & District 3's Alexander Luten.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Lockamy is explaining what the changes under the "passport to excellence" plab would mean for Shuman and its students.

He says "We have to match our schoos to where the people are."

Elementary Schools are at a capacity of 103%.

Change could mean Shuman becomes a K-5 school next fall instead of being a dedicated performing arts middle school to make more elementary school room available to east Savannah.

The performing arts students might move to Savannah Arts Academy making that school a 6-12 in the fall of 2010

Lockamy says Shuman would be a great neighborhood school for K-5.

More updates from News 3 Education Reporter Randi Hempel as the meeting progresses.