Liberty STEAM Charter
Minutes
LSC Board of Directors Governance Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Friday May 22, 2026 at 9:00 AM
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
Cameron Chandler, Greg Thompson
Committee Members Absent
Kimberly Rauschenbach
Guests Present
Amy Hansen, Dexter Butler, Kyle Kelly, LaQuanya Chambers, Trevor Ivey
I. Opening Items
A.
Record of Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Invocation
D.
Pledge of Allegiance
Cameron Chandler led the Pledge of Allegiance.
E.
Reading of Mission and Vision Statement
Cameron Chandler read the mission statement, and Greg Thompson read the vision statement.
II. Consent Agenda
A.
Consent Agenda Approval of Meeting Agenda and Previous Minutes
With no objections, the consent agenda was approved.
III. Governance Committee Topics for Discussion
A.
Executive Directors Report
The Governance Committee received the Executive Director’s report, including updates from the Academy Best Practices Task Force and an athletics program update from Coach Butler regarding the application process for joining the high school league for middle school and high school athletics. Discussion included projected timelines, required documentation, anticipated 1A classification, and possible future consideration of 2A placement based on geographic fit and travel considerations.
Leadership also presented the annual governance policy review cycle and proposed scholar policy amendments scheduled for presentation in May and approval consideration in June or July pending finalization. Proposed amendments included revisions to the Grades 6–12 Scholar Code of Conduct presented and updates to the attendance policy presented by LaQuanya Chambers.
Proposed Code of Conduct revisions included: Level 1 behavior intervention opportunities - four chances; Updating administrative titles and terminology throughout the handbook; Correcting minor typographical errors; Removing references to full academic suspension consequences no longer utilized by the organization; Designation of the Special Populations Coordinator to oversee disciplinary processes for scholars receiving special education services to ensure compliance and consistency with applicable regulations.
Ms. Chambers shared that attendance revisions were developed through stakeholder input meetings involving board members, staff, and families. Chronic absenteeism decreased from 55 scholars to 31 scholars this year, with additional interventions and Attendance Success Plans proposed for returning chronically absent scholars. Discussed included expanded discretion for requiring Summer Pride participation for scholars with excessive absences.
Dr. Ivey shared updates from the annual review of policies, procedures, and bylaws, including proposed amendments to financial policies and procedures reflecting finance committee recommendations, operational updates, and alignment adjustments. He noted that the annual policy review process will continue over the coming weeks, and additional amendments may be presented to the Board in June and July.
An HR mini audit received a positive review with minor recommendations related to employment postings, training on school platforms, and new employment reporting requirements. Findings will be presented to the Board for acceptance at the May meeting.
Dr. Ivey reported completion of the annual emergency action and safety plan review. Recommendations from the South Carolina Department of Education audit, primarily related to signage, were completed at both campuses. Updated plans were reviewed and accepted by the Sumter Police Department and Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Due to security considerations, detailed emergency procedures remain confidential.
Dr. Ivey reviewed Spring FY26 end-of-year MAP data, SPARK survey data, and end-of-year family engagement survey results. EA end-of-year data analysis and PA MAP Growth data were included in the meeting materials. He reported continued improvement in reading, math, and projected science performance. Reading proficiency increased to 67%, math proficiency exceeded 70%, and he noted the organization was approximately five points away from achieving an “Excellent” state report card rating. Official SC READY Assessment results are expected in August.
IV. New Business - Requests for Future Agenda Topics/Committee Recommendations
A.
Committee Recommendations
Committee members were reminded to submit future agenda topics to Dr. Ivey.
Committee recommendations included deferring proposed inclusion class size revisions at the primary academy, moving forward with the annual policy review, approval of the FY27 preliminary budget second reading on May 26, and implementing Attendance Success Plans for chronically absent scholars. Announcements were also shared regarding upcoming fifth grade and kindergarten graduation ceremonies.
Cameron Chandler gave an invocation.