Sankofa Montessori

Minutes

Governance Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday September 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM

Location

Meeting ID 601 495 1069

Through a culturally responsive, child and family-centered Montessori education, Sankofa Montessori ensures that all of our students develop the knowledge, skill, and agency to have a life of purpose.

Committee Members Present

A. Nash (remote), E. Moore (remote), K. Karacalidis (remote)

Committee Members Absent

None

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

K. Karacalidis called a meeting of the Governance Committee of Sankofa Montessori to order on Thursday Sep 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM.

C.

Previous Meeting Minutes

E. Moore made a motion to approve the minutes from Governance Committee Meeting on 08-14-25.
A. Nash seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Governance Task

A.

Succession Planning

School Staff

  • Need to start thinking through leadership succession
  • Grade level/Content Chairs
  • Coaches

Board 

  • Committee members need to be finalized
  • Treasurer needs to be discussed

B.

Charter Renewal

The committee discussed forming mini-committees in December to start digging into the work before the charter renewal.  We must start being more involved with the calendar, the schedule, org chart, and first budget draft.

C.

School Leader's Updates

 

Enrollment status- Current enrollment status and efforts for enrollment fundraising & School Attendance 

 

Total 131 students (Goal 158-160).  K- 43, 1st & 2nd- 56, 3rd & 4th- 32

 Withdrawals K -7, 1st -3, 3rd- 1

School Attendance (from July 31 -Aug. 30)-  K 94.4%, 1st 98.5%, 2nd 94.2%, 3rd 95.7%, and 4th 90.2%

 

Personnel Updates- Updates on staffing and updates regarding professional development of staff. 

     

Not current hiring.  Science teacher departed (open position)

     

Updates on school suspensions/expulsions by grade

 

(August data)- K -3, 1st-1 (Total 4).  No expulsions

 

Discuss School-Parent (PTO)-any updates for upcoming SY25-26 

 

PTO hosting spelling bee (Classroom on Oct. 29 & Winners compete Nov. 19); goal to          enter Scripps Spelling Bee     

 

Commission Meeting Next Steps and Follow Ups

 

Submitting all requested data to SCSC and monitoring coming up 3rd week of October

Quality school review by 3rd party pending end of September

 

 

III. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 11:30 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
K. Karacalidis