Board chair reports fraud in school accounts but stops short of requiring a fix

What happened

At the November 18, 2025 meeting the board chair told principals that recent fraud had hit school internal accounts and after-school accounts across the Somerset network. He recommended a bank fraud-screening service called Positive Pay. The minutes record that it was not being required of any school at that time, and that principals and treasurers were asked instead to check their accounts every day.

Why it matters to families

Internal and after-school accounts hold money families hand over directly, for things like after-care, lunches, fundraisers and field trips. The board discussed a known problem with that money and chose guidance rather than a required control.

The evidence

The minutes record the chair saying internal and after-school accounts need to be monitored better because of recent fraud, and that Positive Pay is recommended but not mandated at this time. Vice-chair Ana Mendez described a fraud incident at her own school and said daily monitoring by a principal is not realistic. The minutes do not name any school where the fraud occurred, so it is not known whether Somerset Prep North Lauderdale was affected; the discussion covered every Somerset school, including this campus.

The source