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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on April 4, 2025 at 3:04 PM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday April 8, 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 3/11/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on March 11, 2025
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
  D. Ad-Hoc New School Application Review Committee FYI Leigh Albert
V. Public Comment*
  A. Public Comment Discuss Norm Higgins
VI. Presentation(s)
 

Anna Klein-Christie, Baxter Academy - Trip to Kenya
VII. Executive Director/Commission Staff Report
  A. School Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
  B. Organizational Updates Discuss Lana Ewing
   
  • New School Application Process - Next Steps
   
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences - Maple Sugar Sunday
   
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 Review Team's Recommendation for the MOXIE Public School to be a Finalist to Open a New Charter School in the State of Maine. Vote Lana Ewing
XI. New Business Requiring Notification to the Commission (No formal action to be taken by Commission)
  A. New Governing Board Members FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Maine Arts Academy (Rachel White)
   
  B. Board Member Resignations FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (Sally Beaulieu)
  C. Board Member Term Outs FYI Norm Higgins
   

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

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 beginning at 9 AM
  • 10/22/25 - Maine Arts Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony from 5 PM - 7 PM
  B. Upcoming Business Meetings FYI Norm Higgins
   

 

  • May 13, 2025 (Cross Office Building, Room #103, Augusta) or Zoom
  • June 10, 2025 (Cross Office Building, Room #103, Augusta) or Zoom

 
  C. 2025 Graduation Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Ecology Learning Center (June 5th at 5:00pm/MOFGA)
  • Maine Arts Academy (June 1st at 12:00pm/Augusta Civic Center)
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.