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Sankofa Montessori

Minutes

Governance Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM

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), K. Karacalidis (remote)

Committee Members Absent

None

Guests Present

R. Barnes (remote), S. Harvey (remote)

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 10, 2026 at 10:05 AM.

C.

Previous Meeting Minutes

A. Nash made a motion to approve the minutes from Governance Committee Meeting on 08-13-26.
K. Karacalidis seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

II. Governance Task

A.

Oversight

Goals

  • Needs approval from Board; next full Board meeting
  • Putting in clear format for Board to review before vote at next Board meeting
  • Kim will send to Board at least 7 days before meeting

 

LKES/TKES

  • Staff completed TKES
  • Barnes will send information about LKES
  • Platform has changed-Georgia Connects will give access

 

Board Retreat

  • Still want to get together this quarter
  • Will probably need to be on a weekend
  • Kim and Sarah will need to discuss agenda for retreat

 

Board transitions

  • Need new vice chair
  • Al will need to roll off the Board end of March due to new job
  • Priority on recruiting new board members, thinking ahead to transitions

 

B.

Charter Task

Board Ethics-same as Conflict of Interest, which all Board members have signed for this year

 

Facilitating Goals-Kim will own this and develop to go over with full Board

 

PD-make sure this is mapped out 

 

Website Compliance

Al, Monika, and Alex were added to the website to keep it up to date

 

Posting minutes-make sure Board and committee minutes are published once approved

III. School Share Out

A.

The Details

Compliance

  • Presented status of new monitoring items through October 
  • Items on task, no further action required

Organizational Design

  • Discussion regarding future growth and organizational structure for next 5-10 years
  • Centered around whether the Board want move forward with a review of organizational design
  • Scope of review and possible timeline
  • After initial discussion, decided Sarah should own initial review and then we will determine if a paid consultant is necessary for next steps

Enrollment

  • Current enrollment 142; target goal 165
  • K-32
  • 1st-58
  • Upper El-51

Student Support Updates

  • Students with IEPs-25
  • Section 504-9
  • MTSS-3
  • ESOL-5
  • Gifted-7
  • Student Support Team: 3 SPED teachers; 1 para; 1 speech-language pathologist; 1 occupational therapist; 1 gifted teacher; 10 RBTs (through parents' insurance)

Culture Data

  • OSS-7
  • ISS-5
  • Top behavior categories: physical aggression and repeated noncompliance/disruption
  • Reviewed top students, top teachers, and top behaviors

Staff Updates

  • 12 flight captains
  • 5 co-guides
  • 1 custodian
  • 1 pt nurse
  • 4 flight control members
  • 3 flight tower members
  • Contractors: reading instructional coach, math instructional coach, speech contractor, occupational therapy contractor, gifted contractor
  • Hiring: 3-5 math teacher, 1 OG contractor, 1 Montessori contractor
  • Staff attendance: absences due to illness; strategies to address tardiness

Family Engagement

  • Donuts with a Father Figure
  • On the Runway with Rhushanda
  • September Family Newsletter

IV. Public Comments/Questions

A.

Community Talk

No public comment

V. 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 11:08 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
K. Karacalidis