Board of Trustees Update: December 2025
![Arbor's Lavista Campus building as seen in the fall.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1751306105/arbormontessoriorg/cryjl2uncdswlprb4iy8/ams-community-v01.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1751306105/arbormontessoriorg/cryjl2uncdswlprb4iy8/ams-community-v01.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1751306105/arbormontessoriorg/cryjl2uncdswlprb4iy8/ams-community-v01.png","width":700}])
Lora Boyd, Board Secretary & AMI Trustee
December 2025
The school’s senior leadership team continues to evaluate and refine workflows to identify gaps, ensure a fair distribution of responsibilities, and provide support where needed. The goal is to complete this work before the new Head of School arrives.
Arbor’s annual financial audit is nearing completion. Enrollment remains strong—particularly in the younger programs—and we anticipate a waitlist for the 2026–2027 school year. Despite an active stop-work order, interior work, grading, and concrete pouring in the new building are allowed to continue.
Progress on the high school program remains steady. David Tyler is leading regular meetings and establishing partnerships with local schools that currently end in eighth grade. A dual-enrollment option with Oglethorpe is being developed for future juniors and seniors, and the Mastery transcript system will be ready for use this spring. Once January enrollment numbers are finalized, the program can move forward with staffing and space planning.
The Finance Committee continues its work with Chazin, our financial consultants. After year-end fundraising totals are confirmed, the school will determine available scholarship funds and emergency aid reserves for the 2026-2027 school year.
The Planning Committee updates highlighted that Arbor’s student population closely reflects the zip codes of our surrounding community. Campus master plan efforts are currently on hold. The DEI team intends to send out a survey, but is coordinating its timing to avoid overlap with the SAIS survey. The school also recognizes the need to strengthen financial aid and expand partnerships, including outreach to Spelman education majors and the potential return of Montessori teacher training at Arbor. The Planning Committee will draft a proposed financial aid policy at its next meeting.
Finally, the Head of School search is progressing well. The committee is confident in the current applicant pool and does not see an immediate need for an external search firm. Interviews are ongoing, and we anticipate hosting in-person interviews on campus in January 2026, during which community participation will be both welcomed and needed.
