Dr. Ann Levett discusses what she would like to see in the next superintendent

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Current Savannah Chatham County Public School System Superintendent Ann Levett will be retiring from her post at the end of June.

Levett’s retirement comes six years after she was first sworn in as superintendent in which time she became a prominent leader in local education.

The topic at Sunday’s NAACP Mass Meeting was Women in Education. Dr. Levett was the featured speaker, and she talked at length about her time as the superintendent of the SCCPSS, as well as what she would like to see in the next superintendent.

“I believe we are lucky to call her our superintendent. I am blessed to call her my friend. I present Dr. Ann Levett.”

A standing ovation for retiring SCCPSS superintendent Dr. Ann Levett.

Before she gave her remarks to those in attendance.

Levett recounted her time as the longest-serving Black superintendent and the first female superintendent the system had seen in 20 years.

She said she took great pride in that- as well as being a product of SCCPSS herself a part of her that she’ll carry even after a new superintendent is selected.

”While I will not be casting a vote and I will not try to in any way unduly influence this process, I do have a personal stake in who comes in next,” Dr. Ann Levett said.

That person, Levett says, will have a big responsibility, leading the 10th largest school district in the State of Georgia.

Above all she wants her successor to love working with children.

”I want that person to really understand that children, the fact that they don’t all grow and learn at the same pace. So lots of options must be available to them, and also recognize that all these other things are talked about may be influencers, but your major role is to make sure that the children’s needs are met.”

Levett says that that will heavily involve making and cultivating connections in the community, which might be critical when trying to get new programs or technology implemented.

”We don’t want somebody to come in and say, ‘Well, I don’t have the money so we can’t make it happen.’ No. That’s when you go out and talk to people and say, ‘This is really important.’ So I want to see that person continue to build partnerships so that we can continue to ensure that our children are ready for the world.”

Levett has dedicated her life to that one goal and though she’s leaving her post, she says, she will always be a teacher at heart and her service will continue.

”I’ll switch chairs. I won’t be in the superintendent’s chair. I’ll just be in another chair and continuing that advocacy work.”

The Savannah Chatham County Public School System is also looking for input from community members about what they would like to see in the next superintendent.

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