[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6296329,"mediaKeyId","2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c","parentId",2516526,"title","Board moves into executive session after informational presentations","audioSeconds",21,"startMs",6312000,"endMs",6333000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c&start=6312&end=6333","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c/thumbnail_6312000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6296329/Georgia/Board-moves-into-executive-session-after-informational-presentations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296329-79f40a4d83f605015c2cfbdb29feaa73/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=omdnWJNxKrSAgOy3qc02gxhiyCPvNwX~mhQxotyt6b-x9qOt1RGgMhFUrYcsBbWUGpXkOidcE-YtsNFSsp-gcZ3wiuUVQRl2EAnfR6yBo1ZeeLGBnXYfkjWanCnQbWKjtdyhdwpsO~pvhVwClvsSP3izNLbRAb3y11ouQIorqboyQvUKwQDOWgCpvPXpYZ8uTxim~5ikfsmcwVpdS07Ym9KvKRcq~8LgMYIbscHC8JBz6O9dr6rR9kWuwZ0VUmtM5GN~d0P~xAccYpFrEZ98J2DE3MsBNppIM1ssnRm7DBdrrXI2XL2SihujIDIVW9py8mYgaXnsohVumbeVSa-arw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-06T09:26:32Z","article","At the conclusion of the informal meeting's presentations the Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education voted to enter executive session. A motion to \"go into executive session\" was moved and seconded; the chair called for those in favor and the board proceeded into executive session.

The motion was procedural and the transcript does not record the names of the members who moved or seconded the motion. The informal meeting earlier had been identified as information only and the presentations during the meeting were informational; the executive session motion represented a separate procedural action taken at the meeting's close.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Informal Session - March 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the close of the informal meeting, a motion to enter executive session was moved and seconded and the board proceeded into executive session.","taxTitle","Savannah-Chatham County, School Districts, Georgia","taxId",15361,"location","Georgia","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6296334,"External auditors give Savannah‑Chatham's financial statements a clean opinion; report highlights reserves and federal spending",383,5583000,5966000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c&start=5583&end=5966","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c/thumbnail_5583000.jpg","/articles/6296334/Georgia/External-auditors-give-SavannahChathams-financial-statements-a-clean-opinion-report-highlights-reserves-and-federal-spending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296334-fb10cebb5cdacd7cdeb1fda6b87e0357/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=O7CxUevmB4UzyrazeFNWDM5WfPgDR3A1pS8f1u5ho~GWaZe2vfSYHsZr-e~Sgxo9NdJ0gA~xNRbne8yKk9pMkQNAsvvAGQCX0bu6UPiaBTumvcvfZyWh-Rx7DwJCzah~Fjy68ejGEaA5RLE~1CKfyBy1D3TERuGabKr2I~~W5Y2VEjbO1MIHt-hjhZ1BCsHJrRyZEfrqWT4A2Z1N90P97TOoHvdV3t2ll2DETf~Z-7IFyw081F8rybBs6On070PF8lcKIo~uoSMkeuEYaGonKp0donxoFb9AB3svS-nSZ2SZlXRiNyYaJFcO5FdOJGvjVKUV4vLUbbtI70y1icyuWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hope Pendergrass of Mauldin & Jenkins presented the external audit results and the annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) to the Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education and told the board the audit produced a clean, unmodified opinion.

\"We conducted our audit and determined that your financial statements as presented are materially correct, and so that's called a clean or an unmodified opinion,\" Pendergrass said. She congratulated management and the board for producing the ACFR and noted the district submits the report for national awards.

Pendergrass summarized financial highlights in the ACFR: the district expended about $522,600,000 from the general fund during the year and held a general fund cash balance of roughly $213,000,000; those reserves equated to about 23 weeks of operating reserves based on the year's spending, the auditor said. Pendergrass said the ACFR also includes 10 years of statistical and demographic information.

On federal programs, the auditor said the district expended about $102,000,000 in federal funds last year (including Title I, special education, school nutrition and ESSER) and that the single‑audit testing for school nutrition and special education produced no compliance findings. \"We had no findings to report in regard to those compliance, testing that we did in regard to your federal programs,\" Pendergrass said.

The auditor's management letter included a recommendation to improve organization and year‑end closing schedules; Pendergrass said the comment reflected opportunities to make the financial close process smoother (including turnover in staffing) but did not affect the audit opinion.

Pendergrass said the ACFR and single audit provide management and the board with information on trends such as rising employer contributions to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and other costs the district must consider when budgeting.

The presentation was informational; board members thanked the auditor for the report and no formal board action was requested at the meeting.","External auditors from Mauldin & Jenkins reported an unmodified opinion on the district's annual comprehensive financial report, noted strong cash reserves, and reported no findings in examined federal programs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6296339,"District outlines steps to reduce teacher vacancies and boost retention; referral bonus, pipelines emphasized",338,2131000,2469000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c&start=2131&end=2469","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c/thumbnail_2131000.jpg","/articles/6296339/Georgia/District-outlines-steps-to-reduce-teacher-vacancies-and-boost-retention-referral-bonus-pipelines-emphasized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296339-6278cd29d1ae18b8e46c9074b179996f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=VGeqEFIEKuWk2USwPQ2vJN7v1sw0c5AWwPTeaFVEWECazBef-zAOXhPxTYQSJe4lzOuwzXrRxmiRgttUBDwobiX5-zuriA-jmb0eFZgfighI5lo0DvrB-iZjsNO50j7Y-XX51qWC~JovJUgIWgZXflm64~n6xzeqV9eArJX1IjTUjMgY66CxC487UQImkUDDJLEoEMOGl8H8DwWQ2xhcPx-GogdOyFm6zI0iyZQvfzPGiGe46H0ygvQgXQN-OYX7XP2Huu4VuHVGKwlF2ywyNBlWi8r2wuUS8rJwHEQkVaRWV0WGQm1uPBfG2HnytvzUOWv2YX6vhBwn15G6MSkhtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ramon Ray and Doctor Michael Patton presented the district's talent management briefing to the Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education, describing recruitment wins and retention work designed to reduce teacher vacancies and keep effective staff.

Ray said the district used August 2024 through January 2025 as a baseline snapshot to measure teacher‑of‑record vacancies and that the numbers are fluid throughout the year. He outlined strategic priorities including recruitment, retention incentives for high‑priority schools, and a compensation study. \"We focus on recruitment, and retention incentives for high priority schools,\" Ray said.

Patton described specific recruitment results: 112 teachers hired through employee referrals, 55 classified staff moved into certified teaching roles this year through internal pipeline supports, and 144 hires identified as working in critical fields of which 56 were placed in high‑priority schools. Patton also said the district expanded its employee referral program across all employees, producing 189 hires through referrals in the wider hiring pool.

Board members pressed for details. When asked about the referral incentive, Patton said the district pays $300 per successful referral with no stated limit on the number of referral bonuses a staff member may earn. \"A $300. Oh, okay. So with no limit,\" one board member said after Patton confirmed the amount; Patton noted one employee had five paid referrals last year.

On retention, Ray and others said the district is developing a comprehensive retention plan and a calibrated evaluation system for leaders. The district also is issuing \"intent\" forms so staff can indicate whether they plan to retire, stay, seek promotion, or resign — data the district will use for planning. Ray said the system previously tracked retirement eligibility and estimated that roughly 500 employees could be eligible to retire, though officials said the intent form will provide more precise planning data.

Board members and staff discussed operational strategies schools use to manage vacancies, including schedule adjustments, collapsing classes or extending teacher hours temporarily, and leveraging technology to expand access to teachers remotely when appropriate. Staff also described ongoing work to refine exit interviews and collect more useful qualitative data from departing employees.

Ray said the district has taken steps to increase recruiting capacity, including adding dedicated recruiter positions and targeted outreach such as billboards and job‑fair participation. He described two recruiter positions allocated to the district with one currently fielded, and said principals and staff throughout the district also serve as active recruiters.

District leaders emphasized that the recruitment and retention work is ongoing and multifaceted — combining compensation analysis, targeted incentives for hard‑to‑fill roles, internal career pipelines and improved data collection to inform future actions. The presentation was informational; no formal board vote was taken.","Human resources staff reported progress on teacher vacancy reduction and retention initiatives, including a $300 referral incentive, classified‑to‑certified pipelines, expanded supplements and plans for intent surveys and retention data collection.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6296344,"Savannah‑Chatham details 2025 summer school, enrichment and CTAE camps; transportation and scholarships under review",546,917000,1463000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c&start=917&end=1463","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c/thumbnail_917000.jpg","/articles/6296344/Georgia/SavannahChatham-details-2025-summer-school-enrichment-and-CTAE-camps-transportation-and-scholarships-under-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296344-ddcff6d55ae6449fe53711f2e1da1548/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=ULgxprUFO0H807ghrdHWDXfZePFAY2DNfDmKeRHdUev53TXxMpkh0fIUE3G1oytt~Af2GBOPd8hb3ro5mcGRoeTl5bgfMCWEbD6Fyu00ruXP9EF1~fVJj1s7TR5cF2gnh3MTR6Q~lOpXAh9fFZ4FWRLta9ogV0V4HoeZ1UrbKyZzZfl1XbjXcEb-K7X3XaCBbJ2ulKh7QsVIYQgj440aFYZGuGo2B6A1xE~G5tSpgqgr1O9RVVAcnztpQc1D238j2aKVj~h6kP0PvVaG7n3Q16D5lLjDoKF8Yx3wtXcYDbbOBagLW7x9gOFRhdttJULOkozjuKLh8c8CZyvZWMEbiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mister Butler, speaking for district staff, presented the district's summer 2025 learning and enrichment plans to the Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education, highlighting academic recovery options, CTE enrichment, and workforce apprenticeship opportunities.

\"For students needing academic remediation, we will be providing our traditional promotion and grade recovery opportunities for students in grades 3 through 12,\" Mister Butler said. He clarified that high school students in grades 10 through 12 may earn initial credit or recover credit during the half‑day sessions, and that the summer schedule will operate Monday through Thursday on a four‑day week for half‑day sessions. \"This will result in really 14 days of instruction,\" Butler said.

Butler said the district will bring back CTAE enrichment camps on the campus of Woodville‑Tompkins High School for rising sixth through ninth graders, and will offer Junior University programs at Oakland Island and Massey Heritage. The district plans to resume the SWAP (student workforce apprentice program) and expand opportunities for high school students to work in district divisions and schools. Butler also said a LEAP program will be offered to twelfth‑grade students this summer to help students transition to the workforce and pursue certifications.

Board members asked about registration timing, costs, staffing and transportation. Butler said information will be shared beginning in April and that district CTAE teachers will be the primary facilitators while district partners may supplement programming. On costs, Butler said previous CTAE enrichment camps have been priced around $150; staff are \"working on\" subsidies and scholarships for students who need financial help. On transportation, Butler said the district is exploring options and will continue to provide transportation for Junior University as in prior years; the district will continue to provide breakfast and lunch in partnership with Second Harvest at all summer sites.

Board members urged faster outreach to families because parents plan summer schedules early; Miss Hall said parents are making decisions now and asked staff to move quickly on communications.

Butler said high school students can earn up to two credits during credit acquisition sessions, and that blended learning will be leveraged to provide targeted small‑group and individual support. Staff also indicated plans to prioritize wellness activities and to staff summer programs with inclusion teachers and supports for students with IEPs; the district noted extended school year (ESY) services will continue to be provided as required by individual IEPs.

The presentation was informational; no formal board action was taken at the meeting.","District staff outlined summer 2025 learning and enrichment plans including promotion/grade recovery, half‑day four‑day weeks, CTAE enrichment at Woodville‑Tompkins, Junior University, SWAP and a student workforce apprentice program; staff said transportation and scholarships are being explored.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6296348,"Savannah‑Chatham audit review finds gaps in attendance records, inconsistent booster‑club oversight",525,348000,873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c&start=348&end=873","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2516526-0ebebf6323c4822d16e727f0542da58c/thumbnail_348000.jpg","/articles/6296348/Georgia/SavannahChatham-audit-review-finds-gaps-in-attendance-records-inconsistent-boosterclub-oversight","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6296348-dabf92bdd21e45eff4e89ea5adcaa1d3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386151&Signature=DQ2DjPGOT7gDDVHgU9Ww2DNZLc2AwEAHWZReOnDiIc5rGTkMcbRJIHmdKgQ9lK72LU0rLUMLVVECDzgzuWVF2Hk3sYddk799IkgVtmsH5nnE1vmiOfR5O-zEiePErUfa8sefsHTmNVOC0n9s~FbeAGuQwxyGMQ8Nqq8QxsVtgF5tGfgUufNy7dNRm-2ie5eSzbFwGu~g-KqVTcQIHr~REJ-T6GiGAvjw5cECyIIjr3Dio3InQGt3YFecw0gtQ1v7HxH6OtGTG2oHxTkqu0~j9w2OFgGT74Bcwmk9gXkos5s8tXKPVspSmOX~b8ixfUa8bXV0zR8xl8mPHnipZ08~2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doctor Hoskins Brown, a board member, summarized findings from the district's audit committee on student attendance and booster clubs, saying the committee found gaps in how attendance is recorded and uneven principal oversight of booster clubs.

The audit committee reported that student attendance has declined from pre‑COVID levels and that the district's methods for assessing attendance need improvement. \"We already know that student attendance has decreased over the past several years and is below the values that we saw prior to the COVID 19, pandemic,\" Doctor Hoskins Brown said. The committee used judgmental samples to review records and found many sampled records were missing information the district expected to be able to recover.

\"For example, in middle and high school, 64.9 percent of the teachers missed recording attendance in 5 or fewer blocks, and 37 recorded attendance for all blocks during the 2 week period where this was being observed,\" Doctor Hoskins Brown said. The committee recommended producing an instructional video, writing monitoring procedures for teachers' attendance recording, and identifying strategies to increase accurate recording.

On booster clubs, the audit office found principals have uneven familiarity with board policy LEC on supervising booster organizations. \"Some were very, very hands on, some were kinda I don't really know exactly how they run,\" Doctor Hoskins Brown said, adding that booster clubs often seek autonomy and that collaboration between principals and booster clubs could preserve that autonomy while ensuring compliance with policy.

The committee's recommendations to the board included clearer written procedures for monitoring attendance, training materials (including a video) on how staff should record attendance, and steps to increase principal support for student attendance teams. The report also recommended clarifying how board policy LEC should be applied to booster clubs to reduce the current inconsistency.

Board members discussed operational challenges that underlie the findings, including multiple booster clubs per school and the burden that places on principals. Doctor Howard Hall noted that some schools have separate boosters for band, basketball and other activities, which makes oversight more complex.

The audit committee's presentation was informational; the meeting was informal and no board votes were taken on the audit recommendations at that time.

The audit committee's review will inform follow‑up actions by staff to develop the training materials and monitoring procedures the committee recommended.","An internal audit presented to the Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education said student attendance reporting needs improved procedures and that principals vary widely in enforcing board policy on booster clubs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board moves into executive session after informational presentations

External auditors give Savannah‑Chatham's financial statements a clean opinion; report highlights reserves and federal spending

District outlines steps to reduce teacher vacancies and boost retention; referral bonus, pipelines emphasized

Savannah‑Chatham details 2025 summer school, enrichment and CTAE camps; transportation and scholarships under review

Savannah‑Chatham audit review finds gaps in attendance records, inconsistent booster‑club oversight