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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on May 16, 2024 at 10:20 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday May 14, 2024 at 1:00 PM EDT

Location

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

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
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 3/12/24 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on March 12, 2024
  D. To Consider the Approval of the 4/9/24 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on April 9, 2024
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
 

None
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  D. New Charter School FYI Lana Ewing
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
 

None
IX. Unfinished Business
 

None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Approval of the Commission's FY25 Operating Budget 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
   

None
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Norm Higgins
   

None
XII. Next Month's Topics
  A. Next Month's Topics FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Ad-Hoc Nominating Reports Slate of Officers for Consideration at August Commission Meeting
  • Executive Session for the Purpose of Annual Executive Director Evaluation 
  • To Consider Canceling July Committee and Commission Meetings
  • Maine Alliance for Public Charter Schools Presentation - Joe Mattos
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • New School Application Release Date - July 1st
  • Letters of Intent due - July 15th 

Graduation Ceremonies:

  • ACADIA Academy 
    • End of Year Exhibition of Work - June 5th from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
    • “Pre-Cademy” Awards - June 7th from 1 p.m. to 2.p.m.
    • Sixth Grade Promotion - June 7th at 6 p.m.
  • Baxter Academy – Graduation - June 1st at 11 a.m., Merrill Auditorium
  • Community Regional Charter School – Graduation - June 14th at 6 p.m.
  • Ecology Learning Center – Graduation - June 4th at a time TBD, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardiners Assn. (‘MOFGA’). 
  • Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences 
    • Graduation - June 7th at 4 p.m. at the Norumbega Cidery in New Gloucester
    • Music recitals will be held at the New Gloucester Congregational Church on May 13th for 2nd and 3rd grades; on May 14th for 4th and 5th grades; and on May 15th for 6th through 8th grades.  All are at 12:30 p.m.
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences 
    • Threshold Graduation - July 19th.
    • Campus Graduation - July 26th.
  • Maine Arts Academy – Graduation - June 1st at 12:00 p.m., Augusta Civic Center
  • Maine Connections Academy – Graduation - June 7th at 2 p.m., Merrill Auditorium
  • Maine Virtual Academy – Graduation - June 7th at 2 p.m. via a Live Zoom Ceremony.
  B. Next Regular Business Meeting FYI Norm Higgins
   

June 11, 2024  (Ecology Learning Center, Unity)

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.