Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Student Senate urges simpler access to services, split counselor roles and a student tab on SCCPSS website
Summary
Student leaders from across Savannah‑Chatham County told the Board of Education on May 7 that they want easier access to district supports, clearer communication and sharper counselor roles to help students succeed.
Student leaders from across Savannah-Chatham County told the Board of Education on May 7 that they want easier access to district supports, clearer communication and sharper counselor roles to help students succeed.
The 2024–25 superintendent student senate presented findings from a spring charrette, Ashton Washington, an 11th‑grader at Windsor Forest High School, said the group "collaborates with school district leaders to incorporate student perspectives into decision making." Michael Grant, a 10th‑grader at Beach High School, summarized the senate’s problem statement: "Students require specialized support to thrive."
The students said four recurring topics — school safety, mental health, dress code, and extracurriculars — produced concrete recommendations they want the district to implement. Shrila Patel, a 10th‑grader at Savannah Early College, described a student‑designed ID card that includes a barcode for attendance on the front and a barcode for medical information on the back: "This new design could be implemented into all of our new schools to ensure that all of our students are safe."
Students also recommended a student‑focused section of the SCCPSS website that would surface the wellness center, free CAT bus access and other supports. "We believe that adding a students tab will help students build widespread awareness of the resources available," Patel said. Several student presenters suggested an internal tip line modeled on other Georgia counties to allow anonymous reporting of safety or mental‑health concerns.
The student senators described school counseling as overtaxed. The group told board members some counselors have caseloads "up to 400 students," a point that drew comments from multiple board members. Senators recommended splitting counseling roles into academic and personal/mental‑health counselors so staff can specialize and better support students.
Students also urged expansion of the district’s peer‑mediation program. One senator said 162 students received peer‑mediator training this school year and 142 participated in mediation sessions; proponents said peer mediation reduces discipline incidents and keeps students in class.
Board members praised the presentations. Dr. Hoskins Brown told students, "Your presentation skills rival our senior leadership," and several board members asked district staff to work with the student senate on next steps. Board members also asked the students about implementation details — for example, how a tip‑line contract might be structured and whether an app could be more effective than a website tab for reaching students.
The student senate said it plans additional student charrettes and will bring peers from their schools to expand representation. The board’s response was uniformly positive and several members asked staff to follow up with feasibility analyses of student proposals.
Because the May 7 meeting was an informational session, the board took no formal action; presenters were asked to provide materials and to coordinate with district staff for next steps.
The student senate presentation concluded with an invitation to the board and staff to watch a short summary video and to follow up at future meetings.
