Liberty STEAM Charter
Minutes
LSC Board of Directors Development Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday May 21, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Location
108 N. Main Street, Sumter, SC 29150
This meeting is held in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. A copy of the agenda has been made available to the local media & general public.
MISSION: Liberty STEAM Charter works to provide all students with equal access to a world-class K-12 education in an academically rigorous and student-centered learning environment, creating graduates who will be thoughtful and engaged citizens prepared to take on the leadership challenges of the 21st century. VISION: In partnership with our families and community, our vision is to provide real-world interdisciplinary, personalized, and project-based learning experiences through a STEAM-based academic program where graduates become the next generation of leaders, employers, and employees who contribute to the economic well-being of their communities and families.
Committee Members Present
(Tajma) LaShea Davis, Heather Bass, Marion Newton
Committee Members Absent
Kimberly Rauschenbach
Guests Present
Amy Hansen, Gifford Shaw, LaQuanya Chambers
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Invocation
D.
Pledge of Allegiance
Heather Bass led the Pledge of Allegiance.
E.
Reading of Mission and Vision Statements
LaShea Davis read the mission statement and Heather Bass read the vision statements.
F.
Approve Consent Agenda (Meeting Agenda and Previous Meeting Minutes)
With no objections, the consent agenda was approved.
II. Development Committee Topics for Discussion
A.
Executive Director's Report
Ms. Chambers provided the monthly liaison report and shared updates related to enrollment, attendance, family engagement, scholar programs, community partnerships, and organizational planning. She reported that end-of-year enrollment closed at 911 students with a 97% retention rate and noted significant improvement in attendance outcomes compared to the previous year.
Updates were also provided regarding family volunteer participation, the incoming kindergarten class, positive parent satisfaction survey results, and continued implementation of the PATH career development initiative.
Dr. Ivey then presented updates related to grants, partnerships, early college planning, safety compliance, and long-term expansion efforts, including submitted and awarded grants, sixth-grade and workforce pathway development, and upcoming FY27 budget timelines.
Monthly Liaison Report
- End-of-year enrollment closed at 911 students with a 97% retention rate.
- ADA finished at 96%.
31 students were identified as chronically absent: 6 had withdrawn and 2 were impacted by OSS - Attendance outcomes improved significantly from last year.
Family Engagement
- 95% of families completed the required 10 volunteer hours.
- Families logged 10,894 volunteer hours total.
- June PEACE makeup sessions and additional volunteer opportunities will be provided for remaining families.
- Most non-returning families are relocating due to military moves.
Incoming Class of 2039
- 18% military-connected students
- 54% siblings
- 5% staff-affiliated
- Demographics remain compliant with state charter requirements compared to Sumter School District.
- Kindergarten demand remains high with over 470 applications/waitlist entries.
Parent Satisfaction
- Survey results remained positive:
- 89% “Yes”
- 9% “Mostly”
- Main feedback from returning families was that onboarding felt repetitive.
PATH and Career Development
- Leadership reviewed continued progress on the PATH roadmap initiative focused on:
- Career exploration
- College exposure
- Financial literacy
- Service learning
- Fifth graders participated in a crossover ceremony and declared career clusters for Junior Academy.
- Scholar Ariana Barnes shared her PATH journey and commitment to the education career cluster.
- Mr. Butler will expand career exploration opportunities in sixth grade through guest speakers and student organizations.
Community Engagement and Service Learning
- Students participated in service projects supporting local ministries, food pantries, and housing initiatives.
- Leadership emphasized building community partnerships and student civic responsibility.
Grants and Funding Updates
- Received:
- $250,000 Yass Grant installment
- $30,000 Summer Reading Camp Grant
- Submitted:
- Chick-fil-A Foundation Grant
- $1.752 million Congressional Community Grant for sixth-grade expansion
PATH Expansion
- 70% of PATH partners are confirmed for next year.
- Additional PATH planning tools and calendars will be provided to partners.
- One health sciences PATH partner is still needed for sixth grade.
Early College and Postsecondary Planning
- Leadership continued discussions with Central Carolina Technical College regarding future early college high school development.
- Visits to successful early college and manufacturing partnership programs provided ideas for workforce readiness and career pathways.
Safety and Budget
- Emergency and safety plans were updated and remain in compliance with recommendations from the South Carolina Department of Education.
- FY27 budget second reading is scheduled for May 26, with final approval planned for June.
III. New Business: Requests for Future Agenda Topics/Committee Recommendations
A.
Committee Recommendations
Committee members were reminded to submit future agenda topics to Dr. Ivey.
Action Steps:
- Conduct June PEACE makeup sessions.
- Finalize remaining PATH partnerships.
- FY27 budget for second reading at May 26 meeting..
- Present Congressional Community Grant for board acceptance/approval at the May board meeting.
- Continue sixth-grade and early college planning.
- Prepare final academic and organizational reports.
- May 29: Last day of school: 190th instructional day
- May 27: Fifth-grade graduation at Patriot Hall
- May 28 Kindergarten graduation at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church
Marion Newton gave an invocation.