In the language of the schoolyard, the Savannah-Chatham County School Board’s role in relation to Savannah Classical Academy and the district’s other charter schools is akin to a recess monitor.
The charter schools play on their own, with the board stepping in only in times of crisis.
The relationship has mutated, though, with the board now acting more like the playground boor. Their chastising of Savannah Classical Academy Director Barry Lollis 11 days ago for the school’s enrollment growth strategy was an ugly taunt and, taken in the context of the board’s behavior toward charter schools in recent times, one this community needs to stand against.
To summarize, board members called out Lollis for what they perceive as too small classes in many of Savannah Classical Academy’s grade levels. The school is committed to enroll 640 students by the start of the 2023-24 academic year. Savannah Classical is currently at around half that number with a plan to reach 640 over the five-year span — as outlined by a contract approved by the board earlier this year.
