Lowcountry Montessori School
Minutes
Board meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday September 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Location
Low country Montessori School
Directors Present
A. Chavarria, A. Walker (remote), A. Wright, G. Alexander, J. Poole, L. Lyles, M. Thompson (remote), T. Brosnan
Directors Absent
K. Lyon
Directors who left before the meeting adjourned
A. Walker
Guests Present
B. Shaffer, C. Creamer, K. Godwin, O. Hopkins (remote), S. Fox
I. Opening Items
A.
Determination of Quorum
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Reading of the Mission Statement
D.
Approval of Agenda
E.
Statement of Compliance with FOIA
II. Consent Agenda
A.
Approve minutes prior minutes
III. Public Comment
A.
Public comment period, limited to 3 minutes per person.
No Public Comment
IV. Director's Report
A.
September Update
Presented by S. Fox.
-Report Attached
-G.Alexander asked about the draw down from the USDA
Submission to USDA for reimbursement and AMX that is being processed
Not sure what the remaining balance is
-G. Alexander asked about putting the funds in an interest bearing account
Have been using it to pay things, have not been able to move it yet, but it is the goal.
-G. Alexander have changed banks yet?
Capital Bank from construction and First Federal. Have not moved anything yet.
Will need to work on changing over auto-pay and billing.
-G. Alexander the paperwork that was signed to verify L. Lyles was not changing banks
That was adding B. Vaughn to the account for third signature
-G.Alexander can we bring the new hires to the board meetings to meet them
-R.Beck plan for next big staff meeting was to invite the board to meet the staff.
-A. Wright asked about open seats for each level
Primary 22 per room so about 88
Lower 27 to 25 per room so about 100
Upper the same as lower
Middle about 50
High School about 100
-J.Poole asked about bio or S. Fox
She is working on it
V. Committee Reports
A.
Finance Report
Finance Report presented by J. Strickland and S. Andrikis from Copper Advisors. Report attached.
Federal Funding reimbursements will start in October and that will help with cash on hand.
Debt to Asset still good, Cash on Hand will be helped by funding reimbursements
-S. Fox asked about splitting J. Diver as she is instructing in addition to running the cafe.
-G. Alexander asked how student count drop will affect us, will not until the next count, but is a significant amount of funding drop.
B.
Governance
-G.Alexander meeting October 15 at 5pm
C.
Facilities
Presented by S. Fox.-Report attached
VI. New Business
A.
Discussion of Spending
-M. Thompson discussed spending after the board vote to increase spending from 5k to 10k without board approval.
4 transactions since July 3
S.C. Charter fee paying for the search for the Director
Supplies to outfit classroom
State Reimbursement for funds not used in previous year
Emergency A/C repair that was previously voted on
B.
Discussion of Salty Sprout Cafe
-M. Thompson presented finance committee notes about the Salty Sprouts Cafe
September Smoothies brought in about 2k
Lunch sales start in October and will give us an idea of how that will do. There may need to be a budget revision.
Ideas discussed to help Cafe support itself, grab and go items for parents, snacks. Renting Dish washing space for food trucks.
-T.Bronson suggested Pie Sales during holidays
-L.Lyles asked about the Rental Space
Has not really taken off
C.
Fundraising Committee
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
D.
Expulsion Hearing
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
Recommendations from Board at Directors Discretion
-Random car/body/bag searches
-Weekly meeting with N. Borriello
-Outside Therapy
-No other referrals or behavioral issues
-Additional 10 hours outside class time for community service
VII. Executive Session
A.
Executive Session
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
| J. Poole |
Aye
|
| L. Lyles |
Aye
|
| M. Thompson |
Aye
|
| G. Alexander |
Aye
|
| T. Brosnan |
Aye
|
| A. Wright |
Aye
|
| A. Chavarria |
Aye
|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
VIII. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| A. Walker |
Absent
|
| K. Lyon |
Absent
|
- Director’s Report to Board 091925.pdf
- 2025.08.31 LMS Balance Sheet v2.pdf
- 2025.08.31 LMS Budget vs. Actual v2.pdf
- Facilities Report 9_19_25.pdf
Section V-A Finance Report is presented by Copper Advisors, not Prestige Accountant.