The mission of Sterling Montessori is to create a diverse educational community, grounded in the Montessori philosophy and teaching practices, that fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in its students. We strive to empower each student to become life-long learners who respect themselves, others and their environment.

LHU Board

School Image.jpgSterling Montessori Academy and Charter School is governed by the Laura Holland Uzzell Foundation (LHU). It is a nonprofit organization established in 1993 dedicated to making Montessori education available to children in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Sterling Montessori is a combined private preschool and public charter elementary and middle school serving children from 3 to 14 years of age. To achieve its vision and mission, the LHU Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic plan to guide the growth and development of the school including excellence in academic performance, fiscal responsibility, managed growth, community involvement, and clear leadership.

The LHU board meetings are posted on the LHU board calendar which can be found on this website.

The LHU Board currently has 12 directors, but we are always recruiting new members, as openings do occur throughout the year, both to backfill empty seats as well as to bring on new skills depending on need. We are particularly interested in volunteers with expertise in fundraising/development, communications, policy/grant writing, law, or business development. It is a priority of the board to be well-balanced and to represent the diversity of our community. We encourage parents who have children attending Sterling’s elementary or middle school and/or individuals from diverse backgrounds to consider board membership. We welcome anyone who is interested in serving on the LHU board to first attend at least two board meetings prior to submitting a letter of interest and resume. After attending at least two LHU board meetings, please submit a resume or curriculum vitae and a letter of interest to president@lhuf.org.

MEET THE CURRENT LHU BOARD

FREQUENTLY ASKED BOARD QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE LHU BOARD? WHY ISN’T THERE A FACULTY MEMBER SERVING ON THE BOARD? WHEN ARE THE LHU BOARD MEETINGS HELD? WHO CAN ATTEND? WHAT ARE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LHU BOARD?

WHAT IS THE LHU BOARD?

The Laura Holland Uzzell Foundation (LHU) is the non-profit corporation that is the governing body for both the Charter School and the Academy. The LHU is led by a Board of Directors who are individually nominated and chosen based on the particular needs of the school and expertise that they bring to the Board. We currently have Directors with backgrounds in law, finance, accounting, teaching, business management, Montessori education, technology, insurance, and human resources. The LHU Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic plan to guide the growth and development of the school including excellence in academic performance, fiscal responsibility, managed growth, community involvement, and clear leadership.

WHY ISN’T THERE A FACULTY MEMBER SERVING ON THE BOARD?

All faculty and staff members are welcome to attend Board meetings and to provide comments and feedback to the Board. Per the By Laws that are approved by the state and are a part of the school’s charter, Board members may not have a financial interest in the school, and this includes employees or spouses of employees of the school.

Although not a voting member of the Board, the Executive Director is expected to represent the interests and concerns of the faculty and staff.

WHEN ARE THE LHU BOARD MEETINGS HELD? WHO CAN ATTEND?

The LHU Board meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month, except for July and December, at 6:30 pm. All Board meetings are open to the public, and anyone is welcome to attend. The agenda starts with an invitation for community comments, which is a public comment period in which anyone who wishes to address the Board is welcome to speak. Advance notice is preferred, but not required. In the interest of time, the Chairman reserves the right to limit the time allocated to each speaker. Minutes for the LHU Board meetings are available in the office for community members to view.

WHAT ARE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LHU BOARD?

The LHU Board has 4 primary responsibilities:

  1. To develop the mission and vision of the school;
  2. To develop a long-term strategic plan consistent with the mission and vision;
  3. To hire and oversee the Executive Director of the school;
  4. To develop policies and approve actions that assists the school in moving forward with the strategic plan.

On a practical level, the LHU Board and Executive Director work together to provide checks and balances on the operation of the school. The Board is responsible for the hiring and oversight of the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school. This includes being responsible for the well-being of the students, the management of the staff, and addressing parent concerns.

The Board is accountable for the financial health of the school, including the $10 million in bonds that finance the school buildings and the $5.5 million annual operating budget of state, federal and local funds. The Executive Director is responsible for creating the operating budget and staying within the budget. The Board monitors the budget monthly to ensure appropriate expenditures.

The Board determines the number of positions that can be funded annually and sets the salary schedules. The Executive Director interviews and selects employees to be hired. The Board approves the new hires and ensures that they are paid according to the salary schedule.

The Board determines employment policies. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that staff follows these policies. The Executive Director is also responsible for evaluating staff.