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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on September 5, 2025 at 10:41 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday September 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM EDT

Location

Dimensions Academy, 1192 West Ridge Road, Cornville 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   Leigh Albert
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 8/12/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Leigh Albert
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on August 12, 2025
II. Comments from Commission Chair
  A. Comments Discuss Leigh Albert
III. Additions or Adjustments to the Agenda
  A. Additions/Adjustments Discuss Leigh Albert
IV. Committee Reports
  A. School Performance Committee FYI Tori Kornfield
  B. Finance Committee FYI Brian Langley
  C. Executive Committee FYI Leigh Albert
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Leigh Albert
VI. Presentation(s)
 
  • Community Regional Charter School
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • SY25-26 Annual Priorities
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • None
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
  A. Spring Panorama Survey Results Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  B. SY2024-25 Year End Unenrollment/Enrollment Discuss Lana Ewing
   
IX. Unfinished Business
 
  • None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Receive and Place on File the Commission's FY25 Reconciled Financials Vote Leigh Albert
   
XI. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • Community Regional Charter School (Jessica Dionne)
  • Maine Arts Academy (Jonas Maines)
  • Maine Arts Academy (John Neal)
   
   
   
  B. Board Member Resignations FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • Community Regional Charter School (James Hodgkin)
  • Community Regional Charter School (Nicki Reinholt)
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (Susan Doughty)
  • Maine Arts Academy (Sherry Gilbert)
  • Maine Arts Academy (Janna Townsend)
XII. Future Topics
  A. Future Topics FYI Leigh Albert
   

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

December

  • No meeting

 
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • September 16, 2025 (9:00am-11:00am) for School Leaders
    • Map Growth: Reports for Teachers: Analyze Start Data Virtual post-assessment administration
  • September 23, 2025 (10:00am-12:00pm) for Board Members and School Leaders
    • Board 101 and Introduction to BoardOnTrack
  • October 28, 2025 (10:00am-11:30am) for Board Members and School Leaders
    • Finding, Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Board Members to Meeting Your 3-5 Year Goals 
  • November 12, 2025 (9:30am-12:00pm) for Commission Members
    • Message and Media Training
  • November 13, 2025 (9:30am to 12:00pm) for School Leaders
    • Why Communications and Advocacy Matters
  • May 2, 2026 (11:00am-1:00pm)
    • Maine Arts Academy 10-Year Anniversary Gala
  B. Upcoming Business Meeting(s) FYI Leigh Albert
   

 

  • October 14 (Room #103, Cross Office Building, Augusta or Zoom)
  • November 12 (Room #103, Cross Office Building, Augusta or Zoom)

 
XIV. Closing Items
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Leigh Albert

* 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.