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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on April 5, 2024 at 9:17 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday April 9, 2024 at 1:00 PM EDT

Location

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

The Vision of the Maine Charter School Commission is that "All of Maine's children will have access to a vibrant ecosystem of diverse schools so that all of them can become happy, healthy and thriving citizens."

 

The Mission of the Maine Charter School Commission is "To authorize, monitor and develop unique public charter schools that provide a dynamic, superlative 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
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 Leigh Albert
  C. Executive Committee FYI Norm Higgins
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Norm Higgins
VI. Presentations
 
  • ED279 Discussion with Joe Drago, MCSC Finance Consultant
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Maine’s biggest upset this March hasn’t been on the court. It was on a chess board.
  • Gulf of Maine Research Institute hosts scientists, students for symposium.
  • Ecology Learning Center Announces Fundraiser for New Clifford Arts & Student Center.
  • Opinion: We can rebuild our capacity for human connection - Evan Coleman, Maine Academy of Natural Sciences
   
   
   
   
  D. New Charter School FYI Lana Ewing
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
 

None
IX. Unfinished Business
  A. To Consider the Approval of Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences' Request for Funds for Revisioning Project Vote Norm Higgins
   
   
   
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Approval of Ecology Learning Center's Fund Request for Student-Led Arts Initiatives Vote Norm Higgins
   
  B. To Consider Changing the Independent Third Party Evaluation Annual Requirement from Every Year to Twice in 5 Years (Year 2 and Year 4 of a Charter Term) 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
   
  • Ecology Learning Center - Donyse Babin
  • Ecology Learning Center - Joshua Kercsmar
  • Ecology Learning Center - Tia Poulin
   
   
   
  B. Board Member Resignations FYI Norm Higgins
   

None
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Norm Higgins
   

None
XII. Next Month's Topics
  A. Next Month's Topics FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • To Consider the Approval of the Commission's FY25 Budget
  • Ad-Hoc Nominating Committee (Election of Officers)
  • Executive Session for the Purpose of Annual Executive Director Evaluation (May or June)
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   

Important Dates:

  • May 14, 2024 - Commission Strategic Planning Workshop (2:30-4:30pm)

Graduation Ceremonies:

  • Sunday, June 2nd (Maine Arts Academy, Augusta Civic Center)
  • Friday, June 7th (2:00pm-Maine Virtual Academy, ZOOM)
  B. Next Regular Business Meeting FYI Norm Higgins
   

May 14, 2024  (Room #103, Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta)

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.