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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on March 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM EST

Date and Time

Tuesday March 11, 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   Norm Higgins
  C. To Consider the Approval of the 2/11/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on February 11, 2025
II. Comments from Commission Chair
 
  • Legislation
  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
  D. Ad-Hoc New School Application Review Committee FYI Lana Ewing
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Norm Higgins
VI. Presentation(s)
 

None
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • Mid-Year Meeting Summary
  • 2025 Renewal Timelines
    • ACADIA Academy
    • Maine Arts Academy
   
   
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Baxter Academy - Building Hope Impact Grant Finalist for Educational Innovation
   
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
 

None
IX. Unfinished Business
 

None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
 

None
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 (Aaron Landry)
  • Ecology Learning Center (Malcolm Campbell)
  • Ecology Learning Center (Kenneth Hahn)
   
   
   
  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
   

April

  • Consideration of New School Finalists

May

  • New School Vote
  • Consider the Approval of Commission's FY26 Budget
  • Ad-Hoc Nominating Committee (Election of Officers)

June

  • To Consider the Need to Hold a Commission Meeting in July
XIII. Announcements
  A. Important Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   

 

  • 5/29/25 - Maine Charter School Hall of Flags from 8 AM - 12 PM
  • 10/22/25 - Maine Arts Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony from 5 PM - 7 PM
  B. Upcoming Business Meetings FYI Norm Higgins
   

 

  • April 8, 2025 (Cross Office Building, Room #103, Augusta) or Zoom
  • May 13, 2025 (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.