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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on August 8, 2025 at 9:44 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday August 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM EDT

Location

Room #103, Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta or via Zoom

The Vision of the Maine Charter School Commission is that "Innovative public charter schools will provide Maine students with an equitable opportunity for an excellent education where students are valued, supported and challenged."

 

The Mission of the Maine Charter School Commission is "To authorize, monitor and support innovative public charter schools that provide a dynamic, high-quality education for every student."

 

Reminders:

  • This meeting is being recorded via Zoom.
  • We ask members of the public to hold comments until public comments are heard.

 

Any person seeking special accommodation for the public meeting should contact Sue Whipkey at (207)816-2187 or susan.whipkey@maine.gov.

Agenda

Section Number Topic Number Details Purpose Presenter
I. Opening Items
  A. Record Attendance   Susan Whipkey
  B. Call the Meeting to Order   Norm Higgins
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 6/10/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on June 10, 2025
II. Comments from Commission Chair
  A. Comments Discuss Norm Higgins
III. Additions or Adjustments to the Agenda
  A. Additions/Adjustments Discuss Norm Higgins
IV. Committee Reports
  A. School Performance Committee FYI Tori Kornfield
  B. Finance Committee FYI
   
  • No August meeting
  C. Executive Committee FYI
   
  • No August meeting
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Norm Higgins
VI. Presentation(s)
 
  • None
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • None
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • SY24-25 Priorities - End of Year Reflections
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences Envirothon Team wins Statewide Competition
  • Maine Connections Academy - From Screens to Streams
   
   
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
 
  • None
IX. Unfinished Business
 
  • None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Appointment of Leigh Weisenburger-Albert as Chair of the Maine Charter School Commission Vote Norm Higgins
  B. To Consider the Appointment of Tom Keller as Vice Chair of the Maine Charter School Commission Vote Norm Higgins
  C. To Receive and Place on File Addendums to the SY2023-24 Annual Monitoring Reports Financial Management & Viability Outcomes Vote Norm Higgins
   
  D. To Consider the Approval of the Proposed Calendar of Meetings for the Year Vote Norm Higgins
   
  E. To Consider the Approval of Maine Arts Academy's Request to Amend the School's Mission Vote Norm Higgins
   
XI. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • None
  B. Board Member Resignations FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Ecology Learning Center (Justin MacDonald)
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Ecology Learning Center (Beth Alma)
  • Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (Susan Doughty)
XII. Future Topics
  A. Future Topics FYI Norm Higgins
   

September

  • Spring 2025 Panorama Survey Results Presentation
  • FY25 Year End Reconciled Financials
  • SY25-26 Commission Priorities
  • Community Regional Charter School Presentation

October

  • To Consider the Approval of ACADIA Academy's Renewal Application
  • To Consider the Approval of Maine Arts Academy's Renewal Application

November

  • To Receive and Place on File SY2024-25 Annual Monitoring Reports
  • To Consider the Approval of the SY2024-25 Annual Report to the Commissioner

 
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • 10/22/25 - Maine Arts Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony from 5 PM - 7 PM
  B. Upcoming Business Meeting(s) FYI Norm Higgins
   

 

  • September 9, 2025 (Proposed to be held at Community Regional Charter School, Cornville) or Zoom

 
XIV. Closing Items
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Norm Higgins

* The Charter School Commission does not allow airing of complaints in public meetings regarding Commission and charter school employees or school employment matters, in order to protect employee privacy, to comply with Maine law and pursuant to our contractual relation with the schools. To the extent that the Commission receives complaints and concerns relating to school employees in writing, those concerns will be reviewed and addressed by the Commission and its staff outside of a public meeting. This meeting is not the appropriate forum for such comments. You are free to direct your concerns in writing to the Commission's Executive Director, if you have not done so already.