Photo: The Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey, Jr. School underwent a $9 million overhaul funded by ESPLOST that included new outdoor play areas, an updated media center and an overhauled cafetorium. | Photo Credit: Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools
By Lindsey Coulter
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools marked a series of major construction milestones this summer with ribbon-cuttings for new facilities and renovations funded through the district’s ESPLOST program.
On Aug. 28, district and school officials, students, law enforcement officers, and community members gathered at the Davis-Edwards-Harris Educational Complex to celebrate the opening of a new athletic complex and a Board of Education Police Department annex. The athletic facility will serve as a hub for physical development and school spirit, hosting football and soccer games, as well as track meets. The adjacent police annex, equipped with the latest safety technologies as well as community meeting spaces, aims to strengthen the district’s dedication to campus security and collaboration with local law enforcement.
A week earlier, on Aug. 21, the district celebrated the completion of another project at the Davis-Edwards-Harris campus: new Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) labs supporting the Aviation Maintenance and Logistics pathways. Local industry leaders, including representatives from Gulfstream Aerospace and the Georgia Ports Authority, joined school officials to dedicate the space.
The labs, designed by LS3P Associates and built by Samet Corporation, feature industry-aligned training areas that prepare students for high-demand jobs. The project highlights SCCPSS’s focus on workforce readiness and partnerships with businesses and Savannah Technical College.
On Aug. 1, more than 100 community members gathered to cut the ribbon on the new Bloomingdale Elementary School building. The $64 million school, funded through ESPLOST, includes 64 classrooms, dedicated art and music spaces, a broadcast studio, STEM and energy labs, and a solar panel system that generates 24% of the school’s daily energy needs. District officials said the facility reflects a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and student success.
Earlier in the summer, on July 30, district leaders and construction partners celebrated the completion of extensive renovations at the Early Learning Center at Henderson E. Formey, Jr. School. Built in 1989 and converted to an early learning center in 2019, the facility underwent a $9 million overhaul funded by ESPLOST and completed by Greenline Architecture and Samet Corporation.
The renovated building features upgraded classrooms complete with bright colors and new flooring and fixtures as well as new outdoor play areas, an updated media center, and a redesigned cafetorium. As one of the district’s largest facilities, the revitalized center now aligns with the district-wide goals to create inspiring, secure, and high-quality learning environments for its youngest students.
The projects were funded through the district’s Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or ESPLOST, a one-penny sales tax that funds school construction, technology, and safety projects without impacting the district’s general operating budget. Unlike property taxes, the sales tax is paid by everyone who shops or stays in Chatham County, with an estimated 40% of revenue coming from visitors.
Since its inception, ESPLOST has funded the replacement of 22 schools, safety enhancements, and technology upgrades across the district. SCCPSS uses a data-driven approach to prioritize projects, assessing facility conditions, enrollment trends, and future growth to determine where new schools, renovations, and additions are most needed.