Established in August 2002, Countryside Montessori is Tampa Bay area’s only public Montessori charter school. As part of Pasco County Schools, they currently serve around 350 students in grades 1 through 8. Deemed a High-Performing Charter School and rated as an “A” school for many years, Countryside Montessori instills in their students a lifelong love of learning through an enriched, hands-on Montessori curriculum and focus on the whole child.
For many years, the school relied on an in-house bookkeeper to manage its financial and operational needs. When their longtime bookkeeper retired in 2024, Countryside Montessori faced the challenge of transitioning its financial operations, payroll, and compliance management to a new system. The timing, coinciding with the end of the fiscal year and an independent audit, presented additional hurdles. The leadership needed a partner with both expertise in charter school operations and the flexibility to quickly step in without disrupting daily operations.
In May 2024, Countryside Montessori partnered with Building Hope to transition its financial and operational systems. Building Hope now provides:
● Back Office Accounting – Comprehensive support for accounts payable/receivable, budgeting, compliance, and audit preparation.
● Payroll Management – Streamlined payroll processing that replaced the school’s in-house system with more efficient and reliable operations.
● Significant Cost Savings: Building Hope’s services have saved Countryside Montessori “tens of thousands of dollars” compared to their previous provider, creating new resources to invest in students.
● Operational Efficiency: Back Office Accounting has streamlined financial management, easing the transition from an in-house bookkeeper.
● Reliable Payroll: Payroll operations are now seamless and dependable, minimizing errors and administrative time.
● Improved Financial Oversight: Charter Ace provides clear visibility into purchasing and approvals, enhancing accountability and decision-making.
● Confidence in Growth: With Building Hope managing core operations, the school is better prepared to pursue a permanent facility and future expansion.
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