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Maine Charter School Commission

Business Meeting

Published on August 6, 2026 at 6:15 PM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday August 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM EDT

Location

Maine Arts Academy, 310 Cony Road, Augusta OR 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 Amy Allen at (207)592-6364 or amy@mainecharterschoolcommission.org

Agenda

Section Number Topic Number Details Purpose Presenter
I. Opening Items
  A. Record Attendance   Amy Allen
  B. Call the Meeting to Order   Leigh Albert
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 6/10/26 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Leigh Albert
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on June 10, 2026
  D. To Consider the Appointment of Brian Langley as Chair of the Maine Charter School Commission Vote Leigh Albert
  E. To Consider the Re-Appointment of Tom Keller as Vice Chair of the Maine Charter School Commission Vote Leigh Albert
II. Comments From Commission Chair
  A. Comments Discuss Leigh Albert
III. Additions or Adjustments to the Agenda
  A. Additions/Adjustments Discuss Commission Chair
IV. Committee Reports
  A. School Performance Committee FYI Tom Keller
  B. Finance Committee FYI James Ford
  C. Executive Committee FYI Leigh Albert
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Commission Chair
VI. Presentation(s)
  A. Welcome from Maine Arts Academy FYI Heather King
  B. Baxter Academy for Technology and Science's "Center for Innovation and Technology" FYI Anna Klein-Christie
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • 2026 Charter Renewal Summaries
    • Community Regional Charter School
    • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
  • Reflection on SY2025-26 Commission Priorities
   
   
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Community Regional Charter School Blends Technology and Nature Through “Innovation Inside and Out”

 
   
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
  A. Spring 2026 Panorama School Climate Results Discuss Amy Allen
   
  B. SY2025-26 Year End Enrollment/Unenrollment Discuss Amy Allen
   
IX. Unfinished Business
 
  • None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Approval of the Commission's SY2026-27 Priorities Vote Commission Chair
   
  B. To Consider the Approval of MOXIE's Performance Framework Requirements for Year 1 (SY2026-27) Vote Commission Chair
   
  C. To Consider the Revisions to the Commission's Payment and Signatory Policy Vote Commission Chair
   
  D. To Consider Revision to the Travel and Expense Reimbursement Policy Vote Commission Chair
   
XI. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Commission Chair
   
  • None
  B. Board Member Resignations/Left the Board FYI Commission Chair
   
  • Ecology Learning Center (Donyse Babin)
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Commission Chair
   
  • Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (Roger Preston)
  • Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (William Doughty)
XII. Future Topics
  A. Future Topics FYI Commission Chair
   

 

September

  • Review Annual Calendar
  • SY2024-25 Financial Metrics Addendum

 

October

  • To Consider the Approval of Community Regional Charter School's Renewal Application
  • To Consider the Approval of Maine Academy of Natural Sciences' Renewal Application

 

November

  • To Receive and Place on File SY2025-26 Annual Monitoring Reports
  • To Receive and Place on File SY2025-26 Annual Charter School Report
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Commission Chair
   

Professional Development

  • Tuesday, September 8th (12:30-2:30pm)/Commission PD - "Launching The Year - Authorizing, Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan"/In Person (Location TBD)
  • Wednesday, September 23rd (10:00am-12:00pm)/Panorama PD - "Launching the Year Right"/Zoom
  • Thursday, October 22nd (10:00-11:30am)/BoardOnTrack PD - "Governance and Fiduciary Duties"/Zoom
  • Thursday, November 5th (10:00-11:30am)/PLT Strategies - "Communications and Advocacy 101"/Zoom
  B. Upcoming Business Meeting(s) FYI Commission Chair
   

 

  • Tuesday, September 8th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD
  • Tuesday, October 13th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD
  • Tuesday, November 10th (10:00am-12:00pm) - Location TBD

 
XIV. Closing Items
  A. Adjourn Meeting Vote Commission Chair

* 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.

 

As of September 24, 2025, state law reclassified the Maine Charter School Commission as "a public body corporate and politic and an incorporated public instrumentality of the State." This means the Commission is now its own legal entity within state government. It can act in its own name — entering into contracts, managing state, federal, and private funds, and employing its own staff — while remaining a public body that performs essential government functions and stays accountable to the State.