Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
Minutes
MeANS' Board Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday September 11, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Location
Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
13 Easler Road
Hinckley, ME 04944
Directors Present
A. Perkins, D. Gram, E. Pariser, G. Bazakas, G. Lichterfeld, K. Case, M. Callan, M. Oben, N. Findlan, W. King
Directors Absent
L. Karter, M. Harris
Guests Present
A. Boudreau
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance
C.
Additions/Adjustments to the Agenda
D.
Public Comment
None.
E.
Staff/Student Presentation: Envirothon Update
*Elise Gudde - Enviornthon Leader/Teacher
-Went to Nationals in Alberta, Canada the last week of July - It was a great trip!
-Training Day for tests - Learned a lot of new things./Testing Day/Presentation Day/Baniff National Park.
-Students got to meet a lot of new people from different states and different cultures.
II. Consent Agenda (Action requested by approval of Consent Agenda)
A.
Approval of Minutes from June Meeting
B.
Approval of Committee Reports
III. Information Sharing
A.
CRCS Request to Move
*Ryan Anthony and Emanuel Pariser's Update
-Ryan and Emanuel went to CRCS this past week to a meeting to watch CRCS present their evidence as to why they want to move.
-Operational necessities was the main reason for the desire to move - Facilities, staffing, etc.
-The next step is they will either get the green light or not to move - By October?
-They cited that they had a lot of support for the move.
-Town Council, Planning Board, Town Council - to re-zone this area in Waterville for the move.
-There are a lot of moving parts - Presentation did not change our stance.
-Next steps:
*Get more building specifics/how realistic is it?
*Waterville residents to talk to their town council.
B.
GWH/Solar Update/Report
*Ryan and Pat met with GWH and Revision Energy
-Since 2016 Revision has tried to fix our solar panels. They told us that an inverter keeps breaking down that is responsible for most of the energy. Revision has vowed to monitor the system, and now we can monitor now as well.
-We are now producing what we should for solar power. However, the issue now is that it does not match the data that we are seeing from CMP.
-We now need to talk to CMP about our power bills and follow up with Revision Energy.
C.
HOS/Admin. Update/Report
*Ryan wrote up a letter as an update:
-Positive start to the school year so far.
-First Community Learning Day this past Monday.
-Students forming new friendships and catching up, doing circles, Freshman Academy led by Pat.
-Two Family Orientation nights.
-We had a Leadership In-Service on the 21st - Set norms, got ready, etc.
-First In-Service Day.
-Now we are getting into the routines of the school year - routine school days, after school meetings, etc.
-We have a full teaching staff now.
-Looking for 1 additional Bus Driver and a new IT Director.
-Enrollment is our current biggest challenge - We are still short a handful of students.
-Starting to plan for Fall Intensives.
-Threshold - Will have 6 teachers by next week, and program is almost full with students.
D.
Financial Update
*Ashley
-Full audit due 10/13
-Q4 Financials will be reported out after that
-Q1 is done on 9/30, so those numbers will be done for the next board meeting.
-Financial Committee will meet next Thursday.
E.
School Goals
Mary - October meeting will be spent more on getting our school goals together.
*Executive Committee Notes - Approve Minutes
*Information Sharing
-School and Board Goals Update