Latest news with #SCCPSS
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
SCCPSS Sgt files lawsuit for retaliatory actions from school board after reporting student sexual abuse
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The 18-page lawsuit filed by SCCPSS Sgt. Carl Quarterman states alleged corruption in the SCCPSS police department and retaliatory actions taken against him from Chatham County and the Savannah Chatham County public school system after Quarterman reported alleged sexual abuse going on between a minor and a school resource officer. In the lawsuit – Quarterman says he reported the allegations against a lieutenant school resource officer involving two high school girls. says the alleged victim was the sister of another sccpss officer – who says she was molested by the sccpss lieutenant when she was a student and minor. But after quarterman reported these claims to his chief, terry enoch continued to allow the accused liutenant to work alongside high school girls and delayed starting an investigation. Once the investigation did start, quarterman claims that chief enoch used in house biased investigators, intimidated witnessess and delayed suspending the accused lieutenant. When quarterman made sccpss superintendent denise watts aware of the allegations. Watts allegedly scolded quarterman for escalating the report to her and breaking the chain of demoted quarterman – cut his pay – and moved him to night shift. The lawsuit claims it's sccpss standard practice to place the accused employees on administrative leave with pay or in a temporary role where interaction with students is minimized pending the investigation. While this had gone on with other officers – this did not happen with the accused lieutenant. The suit states that multiple ethics and other employee complaints against chief enoch have been redirected by the superintendent and human resources back to enoch, giving him discretion to dispose of any complaints against him, however he chooses. We reached out to SCCPSS and here's the statement they have regarding the investigation 'We are aware of the matters at hand. Every SCCPSS employee is expected to operate with integrity and professionalism and to follow established policies that uphold our commitment to accountability. We fully support any staff member who seeks to report improper behavior, and we strive to create working conditions that provide the proper channels for reporting. As there is pending litigation associated with this matter, there is no further comment beyond the school district's formal pleadings in the case.' Quarterman claims the accused lieutenant was allowed to resign the day after Sgt. Quarterman sent his letter to the superintendent, and the investigation was dropped with no consequences to will keep you updated as this makes its way through court. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Multi-million-dollar budget increase for Savannah-Chatham County Schools
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The Savannah-Chatham County Public School (SCCPSS) district presented their plan for a budget increase worth tens of millions of dollars at a public hearing Wednesday night. However, only one citizen showed up to voice their opinion on the SCCPSS FY 2026 budget. 'Things cost more,' SCCPSS Board President Roger Moss said. 'We want to take better care of our teachers. We have some things we're wanting to add, like school counselors, more support for our students.' According to the district's budget, SCCPSS will increase their general fund expenditure by over $36 million from FY 2025 to 2026. Within the general fund expenses, under the district's operating costs, there is a 3% cost of living increase for teacher salaries budgeted for just under nine million. 'The cost of housing in Savannah has gone up,' Moss said. 'If you are a teacher, of course that's going to affect you. That affects us being competitive with other markets when recruiting and retaining teachers.' The SCCPSS board President also said there are currently fewer than 100 vacant teacher positions in the district. There is a deduction of 10 million for vacancies in the budget. 'We're not allowing for 300 vacancies, but we do allow for some,' Moss said. According to the district's budget presentation, the majority of the funding increase will come from local tax revenue with an expected contribution of just over nine million from the state. However, one funding source was notably absent from the budget. 'We don't have money from the feds in there. So, we're not assuming anything,' Moss said. 'The money that we get from the federal government, it's less than 10%. It's more like 6%.' Though, board officials said they were prepared regardless. 'It's an impact that we would have to address but it's not earth-shattering,' he said. 'We would have to offset it with our general fund.' There will be another public hearing on May 14. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Savannah Chatham County Public School System announces finalists for 2026 ‘Instructional Support Person of the Year'
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has announced it's finalists for the 2026 Instructional Support Person of the Year. Each year SCCPSS recognizes support staff such as nurses, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria workers, counselor clerks, secretaries and school resource officers. Each school chooses a site-based representative who then competes to be named the District's Instructional Support Person of the Year. The Instructional Support Person of the Year will act as a representative for all SCCPSS instructional support personnel. Responsibilities include: Serving on the Superintendent's Professional Senate Providing updates during monthly School Board Meetings Serving on the ISPY Selection Committee Acting as an advocate for the school system The five finalists for our 2026 Instructional Support Person of the Year were surprised at their schools last week with the announcement. They are: Jabari Hymon–School Resource Officer/Windsor Forest High School Qunnie Parker–Paraprofessional/Georgetown K-8 School Monique Singleton–Administrative Secretary/Haven Elementary School Robbie Lindsey–Administrative Secretary/School of Liberal Studies at Sav. High Raessha Stanley–Social Worker/Savannah Chatham E-Learning Academy The District representative for the 2025-26 SY will be announced at the inaugural SCCPSS Excellence in Education Gala on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
SCCPSS addresses teacher shortage, nearly 150 vacancies
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – The Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) needs more teachers with officials reporting that they have nearly 150 open positions. SCCPSS officials told WSAV the system has a little over 2,700 teacher positions, with 149 vacancies. Now, they said that retention and recruitment are at the top of their priority list. Superintendent Denise Watts held a presser on Wednesday, commenting on what the system is looking for. 'We are in the season of hiring, attracting and also retaining, as well as recognizing highly effective staff and continuing to have an effective workforce,' Watts said. It is shortage that Executive Director of Talent Service, Michel Pantin, said is leading to changes in the way some schools are teaching children. 'Sometimes we have substitutes,' she said. 'Sometimes principals are leveraging technology to teach in multiple classes. Our principals are really working around the schedule in their building to meet the needs of the students that they serve.' It is a dramatic change that Chief of Human Resources Ramon Ray said they started to notice shortly before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. 'We had our issues with colleges producing certified teachers,' Ray said. 'So then now we are trying to also fill that gap' Filling those gaps mean having a different approach. Ray and Pantin told WSAV 'retention is the new recruitment.' Listening and addressing teacher issues are just some ways they plan to keep teachers in the classroom. 'We get into teacher burnout,' Pantin said. 'Teachers have voiced many concerns about more is being put on our plate and nothing is being taken away. Our Office of School Leadership and our Office of Instructional Excellence have worked together to make sure that we're not putting more initiatives…' The biggest change the system wants to make for teachers is making sure their salaries are competitive with schools statewide. 'So, we're competitive, particularly at the lower level,' Ray said. 'We looked at some of the data, we kind of fall off on the ladder and as you get to the 15-year mark. So hopefully with the compensation study, we'll be able to, you know, have the recommendations to kind of level out things so that we're not only competitive in the beginning, but we're also competitive throughout which we are in some areas.' Ray also said they were able to hire 58 educators at Saturday's hiring fair, with over 100 in attendance. This is just another strategy they are using to bring people on board. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Community Corner: Early voting underway for Savannah schools' ESPLOST V
Early voting is now underway for Chatham County to continue the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST).Savannah Chatham County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Denise Watts and Megan Davidson, SCCPSS Chief Operations Officer sat down with WSAV's Kim Gusby in today's Community Corner to talk about the measure and why it's important. Click the arrow in the video box above to watch the interview. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
