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Liberty STEAM Charter

Minutes

BOARD OF DIRECTORS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

Date and Time

Friday March 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Location

The board's meeting is held in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Although all board meetings are open to the public, public participation does not occur at committee meetings. An agenda will be posted by January 20. Please direct all questions to board@libertysteamcharter.org or contact Dr. Trevor Ivey, Executive Director, via phone (803-316-7849). 

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 (LSC) works to provide all students equal access to a world-class PK-12 education in an academically rigorous & student-centered learning environment, creating graduates to be thoughtful & engaged citizens prepared to take on the leadership challenges of the 21st century.

Vision: In partnership with our families & the community, Sumter STEAM Charter (SSC) will provide interdisciplinary, real-world, 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, Kimberly Rauschenbach

Committee Members Absent

None

Guests Present

Trevor Ivey

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

Cameron Chandler called a meeting of the Governance Committee Committee of Liberty STEAM Charter to order on Friday Mar 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM.

C.

Invocation

Mrs. Chandler provided an invocation. 

D.

Pledge of Allegiance

Mrs. Rauschenbach led the pledge of allegiance. 

E.

Reading of the Mission Statement

Mrs. Chandler ready aloud the mission statement. 

F.

Reading of the Vision Statememt

Dr. Ivey read aloud the vision statement. 

G.

Approve Agenda

Kimberly Rauschenbach made a motion to approve the agenda as presented.
Greg Thompson seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

H.

Approval of Previous Minutes

Greg Thompson made a motion to approve the minutes from LSC BOARD OF DIRECTORS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE on 01-24-25.
Kimberly Rauschenbach seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Committee Updates

A.

Committee Updates

No committee updates were shared. 

III. Other Business

A.

Agenda Items from Committee Members

Summary of Key Points

  • The committee again reviewed the by-laws for board member terms and noted that there are four members whose director terms are expiring in March - Dr. Thompson and Mrs. Bass (appointed) and Mrs. Chandler & Ms. Brunson (elected). 
  • Dr. Ivey shared reviewed the timeline for the annual board elections cycle that was co-created with the SC Public Charter Alliance. 
    1. Ms. Rauschenbach gave an update on the board elections timeline and noted this year’s election cycle will see two appointed (Ms. Bass & Dr. Thompson and two elected seats up (Mrs. Chandler & Ms. Brunson). Dr. Ivey updated the committee on candidate nominations that have been received for 7 individuals total for the appointed seats and 6 for the elected seats. Derek Burress will be moderating the meet the candidates forum being held on Wednesday, MArch 12 from 6-7 pm at the EA campus. Email ballots will go out to each scholar’s primary parent/guardian and staff on Monday, March 17 with the election closing on March 19. Certified results will be available March 21. The swearing in ceremony will be held on March 24. The by-laws were reviewed for the procedures governing the appointed seats and clarified that the board will sit first after its elected members are sworn in and then a list of appointed candidates will be read aloud for the board to then take action. All candidates that filed with the Public Charter Alliance of SC were vetted by the executive committee and deemed eligible to stand for consideration to the Board of Directors. 
  • A copy of the cumulative board candidate profiles were shared with the full board.


 

Information from Dr. Ivey 

  1. LSC has a total of 9 candidates who have filed with the Public Charter Alliance of South Carolina (PCASC) - 3 candidates for 2 appointed seats and 6 candidates for 2 elected seats.  
    1. Candidates for Appointment 
      1. Heather Bass
      2. Cammy Chandler
      3. Elayne Brunson
      4. Rodney Thompson
      5. Rob Lybrand 
      6. Walter Blakely
      7. Jordan Hodges
    2. Candidates for Election 
      1. Cammy Chandler 
      2. Shafara Douglas 
      3. Jordan Hodges
      4. Elayne Brunson 
      5. Walter Blakely 
      6. Rob Lybrand
  2. Timeline 
    1. March 7: Candidates cleared to move forward by PCASC. 
    2. March 7: Candidate profiles posted to Class Dojo and sent via email to all LSC parents & staff. 
    3. March 8: Candidate profiles posted to LSC’s official social media platforms (Facebook, Linked In, & Instagram).
    4. March 10: A paper copy of all candidates profiles will be sent home with all scholars in the NEST binder/folder and sent out via Remind Text Message. 
    5. March 12: All candidates are invited to participate in the “Meet the Candidates Forum” at the Elementary Academy campus. It will be moderated by Derek Burress of the “Good Morning, Sumter” radio show and streamed live on LSC’s YouTube and Facebook platforms. 
    6. March 17: Online voting begins for LSC staff and parents. Each primary parent/guardian of an LSC scholar will receive an email with an activation code to vote online. Each LSC staff member will also receive their individual activation codes. PCASC oversees the voting platform. 
    7. March 19: Online voting closes. 
    8. March 21: PCASC certifies the election results and contacts all candidates to inform them of their status. 
    9. March 24: Swearing in ceremony at 5 pm for the elected candidates. Afterwards, the board will sit with its elected members and then receive the slate of candidates to be considered for appointment. Appointed candidates will then be confirmed by the Board and then sworn in as well. Once this is completed, the Board will convene for the first time to complete its regular business. 
  3. How to Campaign 
    1. Candidates are free to campaign on their individual social media platforms. LSC chooses to organize a candidates forum and widely disseminate the candidate profiles both through electronic means and in print media. 
    2. Candidates are not allowed to campaign on school property during the school day or after-school events other than the candidates forum. 
    3. The school is not able to disseminate any other campaign literature other than the officially prepared candidate profiles provided by the PCASC. 

 

How to Prepare for the Meet the Candidates Forum 


 

The Meet the Candidates forum is designed to introduce each candidate being considered for the two open elected seats to the community of parents & staff. Under state charter law, there are a total of 852 votes that are eligible to be cast (1 for each of the 731 scholars attending LSC and 1 for each of the 121 staff members). Under LSC’s governing by-laws, board member terms are staggered in two year terms. This year, there are two elected seats up for election and two appointed seats up for appointment. Appointment of directors takes place annually after the elected directors are sworn in with a two-thirds majority vote of the board. 


 

Derek Burress will be moderating a one-hour long candidates forum for candidates being considered for elected seats on March 12 from 6-7 pm at the Elementary Academy campus. Please arrive by 5:45 pm to be seated. See the outline below for how the one-hour forum will run. There will be a timekeeper who will use color cards to signal 30 seconds remaining (yellow) and red (time is up). 

 

Outline for Forum 

 

  1. 6:00 pm: Welcome, Introduction, & Overview of the Forum by Moderator 
  2. 6:03pm: Candidate Introductions
    1. Each candidate will be given two minutes to introduce themselves.Tell us your life resume in two minutes. (12 minutes total). 
  3. 6:15 pm: Candidate Question #1
    1. Tell us why you want to serve on LSC’s Board of Directors & what distinguishes you from the other candidates (12 minutes).
  4. 6:27 pm: Candidate Question #2
    1. Tell us what you hope to accomplish in your two year term on LSC’s Board of Directors (12 minutes). 
  5. 6:39 pm: Candidate Question #3
    1. Question Submitted by VIP/Staff Member (12 minutes) 
  6. 6:51 pm: Candidate Closing Remarks 
    1. If time permits, candidates will be able to give closing remarks (6 minutes each)
  7. 6:57 pm: Moderator Closing Remarks 
    1. The moderator will remind participants of the online voting process. 


 

IV. Executive Session

A.

Purposes of a Discussion of Personnel Matters

No executive session was held. 

B.

Purposes of Discussion of Negotiations Incident to Proposed Contractual Arrangement

No executive session was held. 

V. Actions Related to Executive Session

A.

Action from Discussion of Personnel Matters

No executive session was held. 

B.

Action Related to Discuss of Negotiations Incident to Proposed Contractual Arrangement

No executive session was held. 

VI. Closing Items

A.

Next Steps

  1. All candidates that filed with the Public Charter Alliance of SC were vetted by the executive committee and deemed eligible to stand for consideration to the Board of Directors. 

B.

Adjourn Meeting

Cameron Chandler made a motion to adjourn the meeting with no other business before the committee.
Kimberly Rauschenbach seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Trevor Ivey