Think Claus-itive

Welcome back! I sincerely hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving, and that you didn’t spend the better part of the holiday weekend in a food coma like me. With turkey day behind us, we can celebrate the official start of the holiday season, and I’ve got some sweet Christmastime stories in store for you. This week, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with all the interesting intel that you’ve come to expect by now. So, let’s get into it:

1. Press your luck! The lottery for one of Savannah’s top-tier schools is open now.

2. Thompson Savannah’s Miracle Bar Pop-Up has all the spirits to get you in the spirit!

3. Here’s your ultimate guide to holiday happenings in Savannah. 

4. Hostess City History is back with a feature on this iconic church.

5. Large and in charge or chill, what kind of leader are you?

Details follow down below, and thanks again for reading The Low!

— Chantel

Savannah Classical Academy is a public charter school for K-12 students in Chatham County. The only school of its kind in the county, Savannah Classical Academy has been serving local students and their families since its founding in 2013. The school is distinct for its supportive, well-structured environment, successful student outcomes and excellent academic results. Many parents don’t know about SCA and the opportunities it presents to potential students in the community, but the school leadership is on a mission to change that. 

“A lot of people are confused when we say charter school. Some people equate us to a private school where you have to pay tuition. . . But a charter school is a public school publicly funded like any other public school in the state and it’s at no cost to parents,” said SCA CEO Barry Lollis. 

Students are able to attend SCA for free, and there is no academic performance requirement to enroll. In fact, there is only one requirement for entry, and that is that the student must reside in Chatham County. Though SCA is publicly funded like all Georgia public schools, the way it operates makes it unique. 

“Savannah Classical Academy’s management and operations are different from a traditional public school. We have our own board and our own leadership. So, I would be the leadership, and then we have a governing board that serves the same function as a school board where they oversee policy, me and the school. And my job is to run the school. So, the charter school is really like a mini school system of one school . . . You make your own rules and policies, but in order to get that autonomy that comes with your charter contract, you have to meet certain financial and academic performance goals. In short, it’s a public school available to families who choose to seek enrollment. It just operates differently than a traditional public school,” Lollis explained. 

SCA has earned a reputation for being one of the top performing schools in the county. The school was recently awarded the highest-possible rating by the Georgia Accrediting Commission, which reviews schools every five years. After a comprehensive inspection, the GAC identified SCA as ‘accredited with quality’ in the elementary, middle and high schools. 

Regarding academic outcomes, SCA performs very well, having recently reported excellent results in the Georgia Department of Education’s 2022 Georgia Milestones Assessment System scores. SCA students outscored Savannah Chatham County Public School System students on all 23 common state assessments and achieved parity or superior results when compared to all students in the state in all but six assessments. Lollis sees the long-standing relationships fostered between students and faculty as a contributing factor for the school’s success. 

“I’ve worked in a variety of schools in Savannah and also outside the county, and every time at Savannah Classical, our faculty will get to know that child better than any other school I’ve been in simply because we’re K-12. We’ve seen them at the beginning of their educational journey and all the way up through high school, so that’s an advantage that we really get to build that commitment, culture and community with the family,” he said. 

The school’s core virtues and culture help students thrive, delivering excellence both in the classroom and the community. 

“We have very high expectations for our students, and they meet them. They are highly invested in their studies and extracurricular activities and are very involved with the community through our service learning projects. The students and teachers work really hard, and they have great academic outcomes,” he explained. 

Through experiential learning, SCA equips students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed after graduation. 

“The goal and the vision is for students to go on and be successful . . . to support themselves and their families . . . and to give back to the community. That’s what Savannah Classical Academy is doing. We are successful because we’re helping others be successful,” Lollis remarked. 

Savannah Classical Academy is currently accepting lottery applications for the 2023-24 academic year through Jan. 20, 2023. To learn more about SCA and apply for enrollment, visit savannahclassicalacademy.org/.

Get in the holiday spirit with some spirits served at Eastern Wharf’s luxury hotel. Thompson Savannah invites you to eat, drink and be merry at their vintage Santa’s workshop-themed Miracle Bar Christmas pop-up. Featuring immersive holiday decor, festive cocktails and seasonal bites, Miracle Bar has got all the Christmas magic that you crave this most wonderful time of year.

The drink menu is inspired and inventive with creative cocktails that are perfect to enjoy during the holiday season. Highlights include the Christmapolitan, a riff on the classic cosmo which combines vodka, spiced cranberry sauce and absinthe mist; the Holiday Spiked Chai, made with brandy, coffee liquor, chai and tiki bitters; and the Mulled Wine, which is served hot with mulled red wine, orange liquor and Christmas spice. They also offer their Yippee Ki Yay Mother F****k!, which is as lively as it sounds, made with Barbados and Trinidad rums, coconut orgeat and acid-adjusted pineapple juice.

While the cocktails are compelling enough to stand alone, they are made better with a bold bite. Miracle Bar is offering a few delicious dishes to please the palate. Menu highlights include Reindeer Chow, which is chex mix, peanut butter and chocolate; Naughty (or Nice?) Grilled Cheese, made with Tennessee prosciutto, American cheese and truffle mayo; Not Your Grandma’s Holiday Duck, which is crispy duck croquettes served with maple-mustard aioli; and Rudolph’s Rockin Cauliflower, which combines crispy cauliflower and romesco. 

You can find Miracle Bar on the second floor of the hotel. The pop-up will be present through Dec. 30. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight. For more information, check them out on Instagram at @miracleateasternwharf.

With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season has officially begun. Time to string up the lights, sip some eggnog and spread some holiday cheer. For many, the holidays are about much more than giving gifts. It’s also about spending time with loved ones and making lasting memories. There are quite a few holiday happenings going on around town, providing ample opportunity for festive family fun. Grab your loved ones and plan to attend these exciting holiday events.   

Old Town Trolley is kicking the holiday season off right with their Holiday Sights & Festive Nights Tour. Taking place nightly through Dec. 24, this fun tour explores both Christmas past and present, with stops at the historic Davenport House and Plant Riverside District, where Santa awaits you. Sing Christmas carols as you ride throughout Savannah’s squares, and learn about holiday traditions of yore. Informative and entertaining, this tour is not to be missed. 

Plant Riverside District is sharing holiday magic with an exciting European-style Christmas Market. Now through Jan. 1, guests can enjoy all kinds of celebrations and fun festivities including live music and performances, children’s activities and more. Treat the family to breakfast with Santa or indulge in some holiday cookie decorating. Fun festivities are happening daily in Savannah’s entertainment district. 

Put on the ritz this holiday season at the Olde Pink House, which cordially invites you to attend their second annual holiday celebration. Taking place Thursday, Dec. 1 from 6:30 to 9 p.m., the celebration will feature hors d’oeuvres, live music and libations. Proceeds will benefit the Habersham Olde Pink House Scholarship Fund at Bethesda Academy. 

Savannah’s beach, Tybee Island invites the public to attend their annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. Watch as the island streets come to life with sizable floats covered in glittering lights. The parade route starts at 6th Street and ends on Tybrisa Street. It’ll be a great time to interact with islanders while taking in the sights and sounds of the holiday season. 

The Savannah African Art Museum is hosting a Kwanzaa Marketplace every Friday in December from 12 to 4 p.m. There will be talented local artists and vendors selling artworks and goods that are either from Africa or inspired by African culture. The marketplace presents an exciting opportunity to learn about Kwanzaa and shop for unique gifts. In addition to the marketplace, guests will be able to tour the museum, making the connection between the items on sale and those on exhibit. And on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 11 a.m., the museum will host a Kwanzaa workshop where guests can learn about the history and significance of the observance and create their own Kwanzaa banner. Registration is required for the workshop.  

On Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a Christmas Market at the Savannah Convention Center. Guests are encouraged to come out and shop for gifts and take pictures with Santa and his elf, Buddy. Children will have a special opportunity to send a letter to the North Pole as well. There will be food and fun, making this a great event for families.

The town of Thunderbolt is hosting their Christmas on the Bluff celebration on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. Attendees can look forward to a fun holiday festival featuring cookie and ornament decorating, boat and land parades, a tree lighting and more. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will also be in attendance for pictures. Sing carols into the night and enjoy camaraderie with the tight-knit community of Thunderbolt.  

Savannah’s Waterfront welcomes everyone to join them on the river for a three-day Christmas festival taking place Dec. 9 – 11. The festive, fun-filled weekend will have live music and dance, handcrafted art and holiday cheer. St. Nick will be in attendance for family pictures as well. The highlight of the weekend is the annual Lighted Christmas Parade, which will happen on Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m. You won’t want to miss it.   

Trustees’ Garden presents their third annual Christmas Festival taking place on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Watch in amazement as Kehoe Iron Works is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with 60 tons of snow. Attendees can look forward to sledding, train rides, bounce houses, live entertainment and so much more. There will also be a 23-foot tall Christmas tree and Santa will be present for pictures. 

At 222 E Harris St. in Lafayette Square sits the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Sizable and strikingly beautiful with spires reaching up toward the heavens, the Cathedral is a marvel of French Gothic architecture. It was originally erected in 1876 by American architect Ephraim Francis Baldwin. The congregation predates the Cathedral, dating back to the late 1700s when immigrants fleeing Haiti and France established the parish, which was Savannah’s first.

At the time of its construction, the Cathedral was the first building in Georgia that was made of brick. It featured 81 stained glass windows and 16 gargoyles. The Cathedral was dedicated by Most Reverend James Roosevelt Bayley, Archbishop of Baltimore, on April 30, 1876. The edifice was completed with the building of the spires in 1896. Two years later in February of 1898, a devastating fire consumed the Cathedral, destroying everything but the outside walls and spires. It was another 14 years before the reconstruction and redecoration were completed. 

The Cathedral was consecrated in 1920 and ongoing renovations took place over time, spanning several decades. In 1998, Most Reverend J. Kevin Boland called for a major restoration of the Cathedral, including the replacement of the slate roof. The restoration was completed in November of 2000, honoring the 150th anniversary of the diocese and the 100th anniversary of the rededication of the Cathedral. 

Most recently in 2020, Pope Francis issued a decree granting the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist the title of Minor Basilica, the first in the Diocese of Savannah. There are less than 100 churches nationwide that carry this designation. 

Today, the church serves its pious parishioners with daily and weekly Mass times. It is also open to the public for self-guided and docent-led tours. If you haven’t visited the Cathedral, find time to do so soon. Its rich history and beautiful design make it worth seeing for locals and tourists alike.

Hate it or love it, work doesn’t go smoothly without effective leaders who can guide their teams to success. Leadership is about so much more than a fancy title or a swanky corner office. Leaders who can motivate and inspire their teams to deliver their best effort everyday enjoy a productive work environment where everyone thrives. Leadership styles will vary person to person, but there are several different styles that many leaders employ today. Let’s take a look at some of the most common leadership styles.

Transformational leaders are those who transform and improve upon company conventions. They galvanize their team to deliver above and beyond by providing adequate challenge, for example, in the forms of goals and deadlines. The transformational leader is focused on the big picture, identifying new ways to optimize while motivating employees to commit to a shared grand vision. This leader knows what needs to change and how to unite team members to achieve that change through clear communication and coaching. Transformational leaders are great for growth-minded companies but can risk employee burnout if not careful. Usually, though, transformational leaders contribute to a productive company culture where employees are motivated and valued. 

Sometimes referred to as managerial leadership, transactional leadership relies on a system of rewards and punishments. These managers set specific goals for their employees and attach rewards for completion, or alternatively, punishments for failure. Transactional leaders provide their team members with structure and clear expectations. Unlike transformational leaders, transactional leaders are not concerned with radical change. They are content to follow established routines and procedures as long as they are efficient. The main benefit of this leadership style is clarity among employees. On the other hand, this style can leave little room for inspiration, leading to low creativity and a fear of penalties. 

Delegative leadership, aka laissez-faire leadership, is about empowering employees to be accountable for their own work. While this leadership style isn’t a free-for-all, it does place trust in the employees to deliver without much oversight or micromanagement. This hands-off approach works well for highly-skilled teams, making them feel respected and valued. But for inexperienced employees, delegative leadership likely won’t work. 

Companies with a top-down structure where the boss dictates everything to their subordinates are led by an autocratic leader. Also known as authoritarian, coercive or commanding leaders, these leaders zero in with precise focus on their vision for the company and direct orders to employees in pursuit of that vision. This leader generally does not consult the employees when it comes to decision making. Though this style of leadership can be perceived as negative, it doesn’t necessarily have to be. In a pinch when difficult decisions have to be made, autocratic leaders rise to the occasion. The downside of this approach is that it promotes over-reliance on the leader, who tends to micromanage the employees, which contributes to a less than ideal work environment.  

Democratic or participative leadership includes employee input and involvement in decision making. These leaders promote an inclusive work environment and build trust to share responsibilities. Democratic leaders value communication and collaboration, empowering employees to share their ideas, regarding them as valued members of the team. This leadership style contributes to a positive work environment where employees feel that their contributions are meaningful and appreciated. It can be difficult to use this leadership style when working with remote teams. Also, this might not be the most effective leadership style when working with inexperienced or unskilled employees. 

A leader may employ any combination of these styles as they manage their employees. They each have their pros and cons. Consider what leadership style resonates most with you, and think of areas where you can improve to deliver the best for your team.