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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on September 10, 2024 at 6:37 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday September 10, 2024 at 1:00 PM EDT

Location

Maine Arts Academy, 310 Cony Road, 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   Norm Higgins
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 8/13/24 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on August 13, 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
   
  • FY25 Budget vs Actual Spending Report
   
  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
   
  • Innovation Fund Information
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   

None
  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 Receive and Place on File SY 2022-23 Annual Monitoring Reports Addendum Vote Norm Higgins
   
  B. To Consider the Approval of Maine Arts Academy's Request to Expand Grade Levels to Include Grade 7 and Grade 8 Vote
   
XI. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • ACADIA Academy (Alicia Laroche)
   
  B. Board Member Resignations FYI Norm Higgins
   

None
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Norm Higgins
   

None
XII. Future Topics
  A. Future Topics FYI Norm Higgins
   

October

  • To Consider the Approval of Ecology Learning Center's Renewal Application
  • To Consider the Approval of Maine Virtual Academy's Renewal Application
  • SY2023-24 Unenrollment Data

November

  • To Receive and Place on File SY2023-24 Annual Monitoring Reports
  • To Consider the Approval of the SY2023-24 Annual Report to the Commissioner

December

  • 10/1/24 Student Enrollment Data Breakdowns
  • Maine Virtual Academy's Independent Third Party Evaluation Presentation
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • 9/17/24 Public Hearing for Renewal - Ecology Learning Center (2:30-4:00pm/42 Depot Street, Unity)
  • 9/26/24 Public Hearing for Renewal - Maine Virtual Academy (1:00-2:30pm/ZOOM)
  • 12/9/24 Governing Board Strategic Planning PD Session (10:00-12:00pm)
  • 12/10/24 Commission Strategic Planning PD Session (10:00-12:00pm)
  B. Upcoming Business Meetings FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • October 8, 2024 (Cross Office Building, Room #103, Augusta) or Zoom
  • November 12, 2024 (Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences, 25 Shaker Road, Gray) or Zoom
  • December 10, 2024 (Cross Office Building, Room #103, 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.