This story is part of First City Progress, a weekly series looking at development in Savannah and the Coastal Empire. If there are projectsyou're curious about, email Zoe at znicholson@gannett.com
More than half of the schools in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System could be "in critical condition" in the next five years if major renovation projects aren't undertaken, according to a report presented to the Board of Education in February.
"It's because we have, as someone said, 60-plus buildings and we're playing catch up. We're not maintaining, we're not ahead of the game," said Shawn Kachmar, District 4 school board member and chair of the capital improvement committee, during the meeting.
Several of the issues include failing HVAC systems or the need for structural improvements, which would be capital projects requiring funds outside of annual maintenance budgets.
"We've gotten much, much better about monitoring and being proactive, but the board's responsibility is to provide funding and policy direction to take that initiative. Don't just put your finger in the dike, it's making sure that the dike is built so the water is not coming through."
The report necessitated the long-term rehabilitation, demolition or closure of more than a dozen schools in the district as buildings fall into disrepair, but failed to acknowledge the looming arrival of thousands of families and children that will make their way to the region in anticipation of the Hyundai Electric Vehicle Plant and its many suppliers. But that doesn't mean the district isn't wrestling with the industry boom burgeoning in western Chatham County.
"Our constituents have told us neighborhood schools are important; our constituents have told us they would like Choice programs," Kachmar said. "So how do we continue to offer those, while also taking into account the growth in western Chatham County and flat enrollment or declines in some other parts of the county?"
Opinion:Chatham paid for study on Savannah High shooting hoax. School police won't share results.
Facilities Condition Assessment sets priorities for future ESPLOST measures
The Facilities Condition Assessment is a five-year report that's conducted by an outside consultant. The consultant analyzes every property owned by the district and makes a recommendation for each building. The report only takes building conditions into account, which means factors such as enrollment, neighborhood growth, academic programs and geography are excluded in the findings.
"It helps us do two things," Kachmar said of the FCA report. "One, it helps the district prioritize ongoing maintenance and operations projects and also repairs and facilities, replacements, and renovations. Two, it helps formulate our ESPLOST project lists when we go to the public."
ESPLOST is the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum that allows the district to collect a penny tax in the county during a five-year span. The district uses ESPLOST funds for major capital projects, such as the $69 million redevelopment of Jenkins High School in 2021.
The 2023 report found that nearly 60% of the district's properties would be "insufficient" by 2032 if significant funding wasn't applied to improve the facilities. To keep facilities at their current level, a funding commitment of $613 million over the next decade would be required, according to the report given to the board.
Subscriber Exclusive:Savannah-Chatham Schools report reveals district not following due process in school discipline cases
Of the district's stock of about 60 properties, 14 were recommended for closure, major renovation or relocation. Kachmar said the report is merely a recommendation and nothing is final.
District staff recommended closing only two properties ― Shuman Elementary School and the Whitney Administrative Complex, both on Savannah's eastside.
The report found that Shuman's building is in need of major repairs, and the school itself is too large for its current enrollment of about 500 students and has consistently received a School Report Card of "F" from the state Department of Education.
The district is also recommending relocating the students and faculty of Tibet-Largo Elementary, a southside school near Abercorn Street that enrolls about 550 students. The school sits in a floodplain, so the district is recommending repurposing the property as auxiliary space. The report did not offer a plan for where students would be moved, since it's meant to serve as only preliminary recommendations.
Several administrative buildings are in need of major renovations, including district headquarters at 208 Bull St. and the Montgomery Swing Site (formerly Pulaski Elementary School).
The report called for many of the 14 failing properties to undergo major renovations, or even demolition and rebuilding. These are the types of projects that would need to be funded by ESPLOST revenue. The buildings needing major improvements are:
- Charles Ellis Montessori, 220 E 49th St.
- Jacob G. Smith Elementary, 210 Lamara Dr.
- Savannah Early College High School, 400 Pennsylvania Ave.
- Coastal Georgia Academy, 2001 Cynthia St.
- Woodville Lower School, 402 Market St.
Several of the district's non-academic properties are in dire need of improvements, but the board cannot allocate ESPLOST funds to properties not serving as schools.
Decisions on what schools will be up for major renovations — or closures or demolitions — will be decided in the coming years. The next ESPLOST referendum is slated for 2025, with collection beginning in January 2026.
More:International teacher recruitment program fills 'critical need' for teachers, diversity
Room to grow in west Chatham?
The problem with ESPLOST, Kachmar said, is that state law currently prohibits the district from modifying the list of projects approved by voters. This makes things difficult when news like the Hyundai Plant is going to bring 8,000 new jobs — an untold number of students — in the next five years.
"If I want to build another K-12 school, or multiple schools, out in western Chatham County, I can't use ESPLOST. I can't reallocate ESPLOST funds to do that. And so, that's a concern for me," said Kachmar, whose district encompasses the eastern side of Chatham County. "If we do want to get proactive and get ahead of the game, where do we find the funds for that?"
Projects like the new Bloomingdale Elementary and the former site of Groves High School in Garden City are evidence of the district's long-term thinking when it comes to western Chatham County.
"On (the Groves HS) site, we're consolidating several schools into one site. Each is going to be separate and apart from the other, but having them all on one campus means we can share some resources. And we have flexibility if high school numbers go up but middle school numbers decline, we have more classroom space... without having to buy more land, build another building or add portables," Kachmar explained. "So, we've already shown we can be smarter and more flexible as we're doing future development."
Board President Roger Moss dubbed the forthcoming onslaught of students as a "westward expansion" of the school district's need for investment and facility upgrades. Populations are densifying in the western and southern parts of Chatham County, as evidenced in the thousands of subdivision homes approved and under construction in west Chatham, plus recent announcements about Hyundai suppliers bringing, reputedly, hundreds of jobs in coming months.
The district's dual-pronged facility issue – the continued growth of the student population in the west and southern portions of the county, plus the need for widespread improvements and renovations – means millions in tax dollars will need to be directed for long-term planning and development of where and how students in Chatham County will be educated in the coming decades.
To tackle the issues, the board is seeking to adopt a "holistic planning" approach in western Chatham County that includes municipalities and other agencies involved with land development to ensure infrastructure and resources are available and enough for the onslaught of families expected to move into the region.
"Municipalities maybe want a school there, it attracts families. Developers want schools nearby, it attracts families," Kachmar said. "But if we're all planning separately, it's going to be harder to accomplish the goals that we're all looking for. So, I know we have had conversations with folks out in western Chatham County, we're continuing to try to do that."
