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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on October 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday October 14, 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   Leigh Albert
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 9/9/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Leigh Albert
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on September 9, 2025
II. Additions or Adjustments to the Agenda
  A. Additions/Adjustments Discuss Leigh Albert
III. Committee Reports
  A. School Performance Committee FYI Tori Kornfield
  B. Finance Committee FYI Brian Langley
  C. Executive Committee FYI Leigh Albert
IV. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Leigh Albert
V. Presentation(s)
 

Renewal Presentations:

  • ACADIA Academy (Meredith Morrison, ACADIA Board President & Heather Bucklin, ACADIA Head of School)
  • Maine Arts Academy (Heather King, MeAA Head of School)
VI. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • None
VII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
  A. SY2024-25 Year End Unenrollment/Enrollment Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • SY2024-25 Unenrollment / Enrollment Data
   
VIII. Unfinished Business
 
  • None
IX. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Approval of ACADIA Academy's Renewal Application Vote Leigh Albert
   
  • Renewal Consideration Documents
   
  B. To Consider the Approval of Maine Arts Academy's Renewal Application Vote Leigh Albert
   
  • Renewal Consideration Documents
   
  C. To Consider the Approval of Community Regional Charter School's Request to Incur Debt Vote Leigh Albert
   
  • Amendment Request to Incur Debt
  • CRCS Three-Year Budget Projections - FY26-FY28
   
   
  D. To Consider Approval Allowing Lana Ewing and Amy Allen to Receive and Manage Funds and sign checks on behalf of the Maine Charter School Commission Vote Leigh Albert
   
  • Public Instrumentality
X. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • Ecology Learning Center (Margaret Micolichek)
  • Maine Virtual Academy (Scott Richardson)
   
   
  B. Board Member Resignations/Left the Board FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • Maine Connections Academy (Nicole Peluso)
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Leigh Albert
   
  • None
XI. Future Topics
  A. Future Topics FYI Leigh Albert
   

 

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

 
XII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Leigh Albert
   

Upcoming Professional Development

  • 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

Other

  • May 2, 2026 (11:00am-1:00pm)
    • Maine Arts Academy 10-Year Anniversary Gala
  B. Upcoming Business Meeting(s) FYI Leigh Albert
   

 

  • November 12 (Room #103, Cross Office Building, Augusta or Zoom)
  • December - No Meeting

 
XIII. 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.