Capstone Introduction and Methodology: Savannah Chatham County Public School Systems (SCCPSS)

Traneka Wilson

January 23, 2023

Omunga

Introduction

Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools is a school district located in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It serves the city of Savannah and the surrounding areas of Chatham County (USNEWS, 2023). The district operates various elementary, middle, and high schools and alternative and special education programs. This only educational district serves the whole of Chatham County (USNEWS, 2023). The SCCPSS serves more than 38,000 kids in 55 different school locations throughout 7 different towns and unincorporated regions. The school district has more than two thousand teachers and more than five thousand staff.

Mission

The district's mission is to provide a quality education for all students and has a diverse student population with various needs and abilities (SCCPSS, 2021). More specifically, the purpose of SCCPSS is to stoke a love for education at its highest levels, both as a student and as a teacher.

Organizational Chart

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) organizational chart is based on a hierarchical structure with several key positions and departments. The community is at the top of the chart, representing the organization's stakeholders and ultimate authority (SCCPSS, 2020). The School Board of Education and the Internal Audit Department are at the same level, with the Board responsible for policy-making and oversight and the Audit Department responsible for ensuring compliance and financial integrity. The Superintendent, currently headed by M. Ann Levett, is the next level in the organizational chart. The Superintendent is responsible for the overall operation of the district and is supported by several key positions (SCCPSS, 2020). The Deputy Superintendent, Chief Operations Officer (headed by Vanessa Miller Kaiger), is at the same level as the Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. These positions are responsible for the district's day-to-day operations and ensuring that students receive a high-quality education.

The Chief Human Resources Officer (Headed by Ramon Ray) is at the same level as the Chief of Public Affairs and Administrative Services Officer (Headed by Kurt J Hetager). Chief Data and Accountability Officer (Headed by David Felicino) is also at the same level as the Chief Financial Officer (Headed by Larry Jackson) (SCCPSS, 2020). The other element at the same level as the above positions is the Chief of Police (Headed by Terry Enoch). These positions are responsible for the district's operations, including human resources, communications, data analysis, finance, and safety and security.

The other tier in the organizational chart comprises the Associate Superintendent of School Transformation/Innovation (Headed by Vallerie Cave), who is at the same level as the Associate Superintendent of Learning Support Services (Headed by Kimberly Hancock). The Associate Superintendent of ES/K8 (Headed by Kaye Alkens) is also at the same level as the Associate Superintendent of Secondary Schools (Headed by Bernadette Ball Oliver) (SCCPSS, 2020). These positions are responsible for different aspects of the district's operations, including school transformation, learning support, elementary and middle schools, and secondary schools. The organizational hierarchy is followed by teachers and other instructional staff (SCCPSS, 2020). The final element in the chart is the support staff, who are responsible for various non-instructional functions such as maintenance, transportation, and food services

Methodology

A gap analysis is used to identify the differences between an organization's current and desired state. It can be used to identify improvement areas and develop strategies to close the gap between the two states (Økland, 2015). A gap analysis can be applied to various aspects of an organization such as finance, process, human resources, technology, and more. Also, depending on the organization's complexity, the gap's size, and the resources available, the gap analysis process might be simple or complex (Økland, 2015).

Conducting a gap analysis on Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) would involve the following steps:

1. Define the desired state: Identify the goals, objectives, and desired outcomes for SCCPSS. This may include increasing student achievement, reducing dropout rates, improving graduation rates, and increasing student engagement. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that will be used to measure progress toward these goals.

2. Assess the current state: Collect data on the current performance, processes, and practices of SCCPSS. This data can be collected through surveys, interviews, observations, and analysis of existing data such as test scores and graduation rates.

3. Compare the current state to the desired state: Compare the data collected in step 2 to the goals, objectives, and desired outcomes identified in step 1. This comparison will reveal the gaps between the current and desired states.

4. Identify the root causes of the gaps: Analyze the data to identify the underlying causes. For example, if the gap is related to low student achievement, the root cause might be inadequate funding, poor teacher training, or lack of resources.

5. Develop and implement a plan to close the gaps: To address the root causes and the gaps between the current and desired states. The plan should include specific actions, timelines, and resources to achieve the desired outcomes. This plan should be developed with input from stakeholders such as teachers, parents, and community members.

6. Monitor and evaluate progress: Monitor the plan's implementation and progress toward closing the gaps. This can be done through regular monitoring of the KPIs and feedback from employees and stakeholders.

References

SCCPSS. (2020). Savannah Chatham County Public School System Organizational Chart. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://spwww.sccpss.com/schools/groves/Documents/SCCPSS%20Organization%207.30.2020.pdf

SCCPSS. (2021, November 3). Savannah Chatham county public school system. Savannah, GA | Savannah.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.savannah.com/savannah-chatham-county-public-school-system/#:~:text=Savannah%20Chatham%20County%20Public%20School%20System%20Board%20Mission%3A%20To%20ignite,students%20prepared%20for%20productive%20futures.

USNEWS. (2023). Savannah-Chatham county – U.S. news education. Savannah-Chatham County. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/georgia/districts/savannah-chatham-county-107382

Økland, A. (2015). Gap Analysis for incorporating sustainability in Project Management. Procedia Computer Science, 64, 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.08.469