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THE FIRST 100 DAYS

LETTER FROM YOUR SUPERINTENDENT To the Savannah-Chatham County School District Community: I am honored and humbled by the privilege of serving as your next superintendent. I am incredibly inspired by the district’s laudable accomplishments and progress toward the attainment of its mission and vision. I am equally compelled by the opportunity to serve you as we work through the challenges and complexities that need to be addressed to fully manifest the district’s aspirations. I am confident that my expertise and experiences will catalyze, inspire, and empower our collective efforts to ensure that students attain an excellent education and readiness for college and careers. What will it take to ensure that each Savannah-Chatham County Public School System student has access to a high-quality education that firmly establishes readiness for post-secondary opportunities? The SCCPSS Board of Education has established goals and guiding principles that provide a roadmap to answer this question. It is my role to optimize and accelerate the pathway to future realities not yet realized. To do this, I will operate from a 100-Day structured plan to g u i d e o u r w o r k a n d ensure that I “seek first to understand” the full context of the district. Your engagement is paramount as we take every step to make certain that our students grow, thrive, and have a choice-filled life in the future. At the conclusion of the 100 days, I will share a culminating report on what I have learned and provide initial recommendations for moving ahead. These recommendations will shape a robust strategic planning process, which will further define the way forward. I am humbled by the Board’s belief in my ability to lead the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System to the next level. I a p p r e c i a t e the community’s support and engagement as we advance toward inevitable success. Let’s get to work! Yours In Service, S. Denise Watts, Ed. D. Superintendent

VISION From school to the world, all students prepared to be successful and productive citizens. MISSION Together, we ignite and foster lifelong learning at the highest levels for all. GUIDING PRINCIPLES Guiding Principles are the shared values and management style of the district. They articulate the ethical standards by which SCCPSS makes decisions and conducts activities. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 1: The school board provides governance, establishes policies, and evaluates the superintendent while providing autonomy for meeting established goals and for managing day-to-day operations. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 2: All students' academic and personal achievements will be at levels that will enable them to be fully productive citizens beyond graduation. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 3: Education is a shared responsibility among home, school, and community. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 4: A safe, secure, healthy, and positive environment is essential for the education of all. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 5: The commitment to the equitable allocation of resources is essential for all students to learn, grow, and achieve at their highest levels. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 6: Fiscal responsibility, accountability, and stewardship must be maintained to ensure equitable allocation of resources. GUIDING PRINCIPLE 7: Positive relationships with all stakeholders are built through a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, respect, and transparency. / / S . D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

Entry Plan Purpose & Key Components This entry plan aims to ensure a strong transition into the school district. For the first 100 days of my transition, I will assume a learning orientation to fully understand the context of SCCPSS. It is my hope that this plan also demonstrates my commitment to building empowering relationships and soliciting the voices of others so that we have a shared meaning of success and what it will take to attain it. I will do the following during this transition: Gain insight into key events, issues, and concerns that influence or have influenced the school system. Learn about the values, norms, expectations, and goals of the community. Conduct a collective examination of the current realities and establish priorities for ensuring a quality education for each student. Develop a trusting, productive and collaborative relationship with the Board, staff, parents, partners, and the community. Build excitement and momentum for our joint efforts to make SCCPSS a world- class school district for our students. / / S . D E N I S E W A T T S , Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

This 100-Day transition phase and learning orientation will help answer the following questions: • What are you most proud of or excited about in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System? • How do you define a high-quality school? What characteristics are most important to you? • What are the causes for persistently underperforming schools in the district? What improvements need to be made to accelerate student achievement and improve culture in these schools? • How do we raise the bar for already proficient students to maximize their potential fully? • What are the 2-3 most important priorities that I should focus on first to create the needed momentum, confidence, and persistence for the challenging work ahead? • What is currently happening in the district that is propelling us toward a collective vision for excellence? What are the barriers that are impeding our progress? • Who are the critical stakeholders that need to be engaged to ensure every student is achieving at their greatest potential? • What commitments are you willing to make to ensure our short- and long-term success? • What else is essential for me to know? // S . D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

The entry plan is organized to help me fully explore the following areas: Entry Plan I will identify a transition team during the entry phase to help operationalize, coordinate, and organize a seamless transition. I will also conduct a thorough document analysis that includes a review of policies, the organizational chart, performance data, and other important artifacts. Additionally, each executive leadership member will submit a report that provides an overview of his/her department, current key initiatives, and impact. I will also begin to familiarize myself with the geographic area, increase my knowledge and understanding of the school system and community, and learn about the rich culture, traditions, and history of the city/county. Finally, I will begin learning more about the state's political landscape, guidance, and support provided by the Georgia Department of Education. This exploration will provide me with the foundation to launch into the work and take thoughtful steps that will position our school system for greater success. / / S . D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

GOVERNANCE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION To ensure SCCPSS maintains a steadfast focus on attaining the Board's vision, mission, and goals, a collaborative, trusting, positive and team-oriented relationship must exist between the School Board and Superintendent. Individual relationships and formal structures for our joint efforts must be established. During my entry plan, I will intentionally work to cultivate a strong partnership with the SCCPSS Board of Education on governance, management, and communication issues. To do this, I will take the following actions: Work together with the Board Chair and Board Officers to plan an entry and post-100-day retreat. Meet with each Board member individually to better understand their observation of where we are currently and garner recommendations for next steps. Establish regular meeting times with Board Chair for reviewing and constructing Board agendas and explore what’s working and/or what the Board would like to change regarding meetings. Create a schedule for joint community engagement opportunities. Review current policies and prepare to discuss any upcoming revisions. Solicit guidance from Board Members to launch a strategic planning and accountability process. Establish/refine communication protocols. Collaborate with Board on my formal evaluation process and format; define indicators of success to evaluate my performance for the first year. Provide the Board with monthly progress updates on the entry plan activities. / / S. D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, TEACHING & LEARNING Every district employee is responsible for ensuring that each child graduates ready and able to fully exercise post-secondary options in the military, a technical institution, a two-year institution, a four-year institution, or a viable career. A student's K12 educational experience is truly a passport to the future. This is our sole purpose as an educational institution and the commitment we make to the almost 37K students we serve and their families. To deliver on this promise, we must have a singular focus on optimizing the district's instructional infrastructure with high-quality instructional materials, engaging pedagogy, systems to monitor learning, and effective and early interventions to help students when they do not experience success. To further enhance our students’ educational experiences, we also must include quality enrichment opportunities, clubs, athletics, and other electives, and extra-curricular activities. Providing students and families with choices will also strengthen learning and investment in our schools. Families must see their home school as a high-quality option but also have the ability to pursue other choices that nurture special interests. Teaching and learning must occur in a learning environment and an instructional culture that promotes high expectations and belief in student learning potential. In essence, this is our core business, and I will be unwavering in my focus from entry to exit while also expecting the same from others. To demonstrate my commitment to a world-class education, I will take the following actions within the first 100 days of my transition: Visit at least 30 schools for firsthand teaching, learning, and school culture observations. Facilitate at least 3 student focus groups to gain insight into student perceptions and desires to enhance their educational experiences. Conduct a focus group for teachers, leaders, and support staff to solicit their perspectives and feedback. Prioritize a deep study of the most persistently low-performing schools to identify root causes and develop a differentiated plan to accelerate academic performance. Lead a district study on TNTP's (The New Teacher Project) Report entitled The Opportunity Myth to initiate a reflection on practices and mindsets that limit students' post-secondary readiness. Construct a performance review "report card" for every school in the district and meet with staff, including principals, to discuss results and implications. Meet with department leaders to understand and assess initiatives and supports. Audit district provided resources and programs to understand purpose and impact on student learning. Meet with the district's instructional leadership team to review disaggregated achievement data, instructional program alignment, and priority action areas for the district.

Deepen my understanding of the state accountability model and the district's assessment strategy to monitor student learning. Determine the metrics (leading and lagging indicators) that are being used to monitor implementation of the district's strategic plan. Examine the specific strategies to serve improved outcomes for students identified as English Learners, Special Education, Gifted, and Economically Disadvantaged. Evaluate the processes in place to support student's social and emotional learning (SEL). This includes reviewing the following services: guidance, counseling, mental health, and other social services/wrap-around supports. TALENT & HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY The research is clear. Among school-related factors, teachers matter most when it comes to a student's academic performance. Similarly, a principal's impact on school performance is significant, given the magnitude of influence they have on teachers. Research suggests that an effective principal positively impacts student achievement, attendance, teacher satisfaction, and retention. Given this, efforts to attract, hire, retain, and develop teachers and school leaders will be a critical and ongoing focus area during my transition and beyond. Working to ensure world-class talent with other employee groups will also be important. The district’s paraprofessionals, bus drivers, maintenance and operations staff, other support staff, and system-level leadership must be best in class also. Consequently, intentional strategies must be instituted to make SCCPSS the preferred place for employees to work, learn, and grow! The following actions will be taken to understand and assess the district's talent and human capital strategy: Review staffing reports/data for each school and department. Ascertain teacher, principal, and other critical staff vacancies for the opening of schools. Devise a plan to expedite hiring/onboarding for all critical openings for the first day of school. Ensure that the most challenging schools are prioritized in the hiring/placement. Explore the district's employee evaluation tools/system for all employee groups and determine the fidelity of use and alignment with student outcomes. Determine the length of time it takes for an employee to complete the hiring process to assess efficiency. Review employee contracts, salary schedules, and benefits. Develop relationships with universities and other organizations that prepare teachers for employment in the district. Identify alternative certification programs and "grow your own" initiatives.

Assess current professional development efforts and capacity for meeting the training needs of principals, teachers, and central leadership staff; determine the degree to which it is job- embedded, differentiated, and student-achievement directed; do a "deep dive" in determining how much of the budget is devoted to professional development and how, and if, it is being assessed. Review exit survey data to investigate trends and patterns that may be causing turnover in the district. Investigate the process for hiring principals; gain insight into the criteria used to select and place principals. CENTRAL OFFICE CAPACITY & COHERENCE School districts generally do not see districtwide improvements in teaching and learning without substantial engagement by their central offices in helping all schools build their capacity for improvement. Central offices and the people who work in them are not simply part of the background noise in school improvement. Rather, school district central office administrators/staff exercise valuable and essential leadership, in partnership with school leaders, to build capacity throughout the district for teaching and learning improvements. Given this, a high-performing, results-oriented district executive team will be needed to realize and sustain the Board’s mission and district goals fully. The primary purpose of this team is to support the critical functions of the district and provide optimal service to our schools. I am responsible for ensuring that the district leadership team operates as a highly effective cross-functional team dedicated to a positive, professional, and responsive culture that enables student learning. Conduct a retreat with senior staff to cultivate a team orientation and establish/define norms, the cadence of meetings, expectations, and accountability metrics for performance. Determine how communication and decision-making occur with the executive team and how it might need to improve. Institute protocols designed to focus on increased efficiency and alignment. Establish positive relationships with all direct reports and key district leadership to understand and evaluate the current organizational structures and capacity. / / S . D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

Develop a cross-departmental team to analyze and evaluate the conditions of chronically underperforming schools and determine a course of corrective action and support to accelerate student learning. Ensure all necessary plans and preparations are in place for an outstanding opening of school; establish protocols for assessing the readiness of the opening of schools (master scheduling, transportation, facility preparedness, etc.). OPERATIONS & FINANCE Finances and operations are the underpinning to a high-quality education. Maximizing effectiveness and efficiency of these core tenets have a correlation to improving student outcomes and experiences in our schools. Understanding the current strengths, strategies, and opportunities for improvement will be essential. I will take the following actions to accomplish this: Review key district financial materials, budget, most recent audit, and grants. Investigate ESSER spending and impact and plans for sunsetting or sustaining programs and strategies funded. Understand the district's 2023-24 school year budget priorities and analyze the FY 2023 budget for alignment and implications. Conduct one-on-one meetings with the district’s legal counsel for full understanding of legal proceedings or outstanding judgments. Review district’s financial projections, resource allocation, and budgeting processes; assess the alignment between the district’s budget, strategic priorities and student achievement. Specifically scrutinize for cost saving measures that can be reallocated to efforts that are demonstrating a return on investment. Analyze historical, current, and projected enrollment for the district. Examine the effectiveness of the district’s data management system, especially around student achievement, budget, and human resources. Study the most recent facilities audit and major maintenance needs. Review the transportation, food services, and other facilities-related plans. Review protocols for safety, crisis, and weather-related issues. / / S. D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

PARENT/COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS Effective communication and authentic community engagement are paramount to improving public trust, commitment, and confidence in the school district. My entry to the district and ongoing leadership approach will be grounded in open, honest communication, engagement, and responsiveness to removing barriers that inhibit student achievement. The delivery of timely and accurate information is a prerequisite for building trust. Cultivating and nurturing strategic partnerships adds significant value to achieving excellence for students and staff. Engaging, listening, and learning from parents/caregivers, non-profits, faith-based organizations, business leaders, and elected officials will be the cornerstone of my acclimation to the district. This ongoing collaboration will bolster efforts to ensure SCCPSS successfully serves its students. The relationship with media outlets will also be a prime focus, realizing that if we don’t proactively share information, the media will shape and share it for us. In addition to listening and learning, my entry plan will focus on establishing communication protocols and a cadence of routine meetings for various stakeholder groups. To begin this work, I will take the following actions within the first 100 days of my leadership tenure: Review and assess current communication strategies and their effectiveness. Meet with leaders of local media outlets, editorial boards, and education reporters to set expectations and protocols for ensuring open, honest, transparent, and accurate information sharing. Media will be invited to appropriate community sessions and first-day-of-school events. Hold monthly media briefings to proactively provide information to the media and ongoing updates to the 100-Day Plan. Identify the community’s largest corporations, key businesses, foundations, not for profit, philanthropic leaders, public safety chiefs, college and university presidents, and their professional organizations and affiliations, and then meet with each for an initial listening and learning session. Schedule meetings with other community leaders, parent groups, teacher and student organizations, and the faith-based community to gain insight into their perspectives and solicit input on the quality of education in SCCPSS. / / S. D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. ENTRY PLAN

Attend meetings of key organizations such as various Chambers of Commerce and service clubs/organizations for initial listening and learning sessions. Leverage social media to promote opportunities for engagement, share positive stories, and disseminate other important information. Intentionally work to provide engagement opportunities with individuals who may not be recognized as leaders, especially parents with competing obligations that do not allow for active participation/engagement through traditional means. Leverage every interaction with everyone in the district and community as a learning opportunity. ENTRY PLAN KEY DELIVERABLES My expected deliverables from this entry plan include the following: A full schedule of opportunities for continuous feedback, collaboration, and engagement. A comprehensive summary report of the key findings, observations, and information gained from my “listening and learning” engagement activities. A presentation to the Board and other stakeholder groups. A schedule for another round of engagement opportunities to inform additional strategic plan development. Immediate actions/solutions on issues that warrant short-term resolution. / / S. D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. E N T R Y P L A N

My first 100 days will prepare me to lead the district in a new direction. I will do this in partnership with families, students, staff, and the community. Your voices will help chart the path forward. We can no longer defer or delay excellence in how we serve students in the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools System. Our unified front to foster a culture of high expectations that promotes academic excellence is paramount. I am incredibly excited about the work ahead and look forward to working collaboratively with each of you to build a better school system - one that our students need and deserve. Together, we will ensure that every SCCPSS student graduates prepared for success in college, career, and life. The work begins now! / / S. D E N I S E W A T T S, Ed.D. ENTRY PLAN

THANK YOU! S . D E N I S E W A T T S , E D . D . E N T R Y P L A N