"After the Bell" the official podcast of Savannah - Chatham County Public School System

Producer Dee Daniels interviews curator Steve Smith at Savannah’s Massie Heritage Center about the site’s history, programs, and future. Smith traces Massie’s origins to Peter Massie’s 1841 bequest that funded a school built by architect John Norris and opened in 1856; it later served as a Union hospital, a Freedmen’s school, and then the first public school in Georgia’s first public school system formed by Savannah and Chatham County in 1866, operating until 1974.

After years of reuse, Friends of Massie helped reopen it in 1978 as a “museum school” using the “community is the classroom” model of place-based education. Smith describes exhibits on Savannah’s city plan, architecture, preservation, maritime history, Native Americans, and a 19th-century classroom, plus events like May Day and outreach programs such as History on Wheels, while noting building repair needs and growth in visiting school groups.

QUICK LINKS:

Contact Us - Main Page

District Calendar

Lunch Menus

Literacy is Our North Star

Engagement and Outreach

Map of Schools

Athletics Department

Career Opportunities

Meet the Production Team behind "After the Bell"

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome to Massie

00:32 Origins After the Fire

02:46 From School to Heritage

05:30 Savannah First Public Schools

06:24 Where Massie Sits

08:49 Museum School Model

11:27 Touring the Exhibits

17:58 May Day and Programs

22:07 Future Goals and Repairs

24:34 How to Visit and Book

26:09 Closing Thanks

"After the Bell" the official podcast of Savannah - Chatham County Public School System

Producer Dee Daniels is at the Massie Heritage Center with District Math Content Specialists Stephen Salley - K-8 Content Specialist, Dr. Beth Tuck - Elementary Content Specialist, and Dana Marie - 6-12 Content Specialist.

They discuss changing the mindset that some people are “not math people,” emphasizing math as puzzles, games, and problem-solving—not just computation—and the reward of seeing students make connections. The guests explain the district’s K–12 math textbook adoption: 16 vendor proposals were rated by a nine-person group and narrowed to four products now being piloted in 24 schools for about six weeks, with educators and community members able to review materials and complete rubrics/surveys.

They outline how parent-teacher communication and events like Math Night help families understand instruction and advocate for students. Key dates are shared: public review at Port Wentworth on February 19 from 4–6 PM and the end of educator review and the classroom pilot period on February 27. The conversation closes with each guest naming influential educators and affirming math as their favorite subject.

QUICK LINKS:

Contact Us - Main Page

District Calendar

Lunch Menus

Literacy is Our North Star

Engagement and Outreach

Map of Schools

Athletics Department

Career Opportunities

Meet the Production Team behind "After the Bell"

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome to After the Bell + Meet the Math Team

00:29 “Everyone’s a Math Person”: Changing the Mindset

00:58 What Math Content Specialists Do (K–12 Roles)

01:33 The Best Part: When Math Finally Clicks

02:55 New K–12 Math Textbook Pilot: What’s Happening

03:35 How Textbook Adoption Works (16 Vendors → Top 4)

04:15 The “Why”: Consistency, Access, and Support for All Learners

06:06 How Teachers & Families Can Review and Give Feedback (Public Review Details)

08:08 Bridging Math at School and Home: QR Codes, AI, and Parent Advocacy

10:15 What a “Math Night” Is (and Why It Helps)

12:17 What the Adoption Means for Students: Models, Discourse, Real-World Math

15:49 What Happens Next: Scoring Rubrics, Key Dates, and Final Selection

18:30 Quick-Fire: Influential Teachers & Favorite Subjects + Wrap-Up

In this episode of "After the Bell" the official podcast of Savannah - Chatham County Public School System, producer Dee Daniels sits down with Samantha King, the Director of Instructional Technology and Media Services.

Recorded from White Bluff Elementary School's media center, the discussion covers the evolution of educational technology in SCCPSS, the integration of personalized learning tools like Waggle, and the importance of digital citizenship. Samantha also outlines the district's rigorous cybersecurity measures, policies on cell phone usage, and plans for the future, including the strategic adoption of AI and other emerging technologies. The episode concludes with a heartfelt shout-out to inspiring educators and some fun reflections on student life.

QUICK LINKS:

Contact Us - Main Page

District Calendar

Lunch Menus

Literacy is Our North Star

Engagement and Outreach

Map of Schools

Athletics Department

Career Opportunities

Meet the Production Team behind "After the Bell"

FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome to After the Bell

00:37 Introduction to Samantha King

00:58 The Evolution of Technology in Classrooms

02:49 Integrating Technology for Better Outcomes

06:29 Teacher Training and Support

08:01 Digital Citizenship and Information Literacy

11:05 Parental Involvement and Resources

12:55 Student Privacy and Cybersecurity Measures

17:39 Personal Cell Phones in Schools

23:18 Emerging Technologies: AI and VR

25:48 Getting Support and Final Thoughts

27:39 Fun Questions and Closing Remarks