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Maine Charter School Commission

Monthly Commission Meeting

Published on May 9, 2025 at 9:33 AM EDT

Date and Time

Tuesday May 13, 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 4/8/25 Commission Meeting Minutes Approve Minutes Norm Higgins
    Minutes for Monthly Commission Meeting on April 8, 2025
II. Comments from Commission Chair
  A. Comments Discuss Norm Higgins
   
  • Ad-Hoc Election of Commission Officers Committee
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
  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
  C. Media Updates FYI Lana Ewing
   
  • Maine Connections Academy Hosts Statewide Academic Summit
   
VIII. Monthly School Portfolio/Data Report
 
  • None
IX. Unfinished Business
 
  • None
X. New Business Requiring Approval and/or Acceptance
  A. To Consider the Approval to Move MOXIE Public Schools to Contract/Charter Negotiations Vote Lana Ewing
  B. To Consider the Approval of the Commission's FY26 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
   
  • Baxter Academy for Technology and Science (Vincent Giuseppe Aliquo)
   
  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
   

June

  • To Consider the Need to Hold a Commission Meeting in July
  • To Consider Maine Arts Academy's Bylaw Amendment Request

July/August

  • To Consider Community Regional Charter School's Request to Consolidate Into One Building and to Incur the Debt Required to Build the Building
  • Election of Officers
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
   

 

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

 
  C. 2025 Graduation Dates FYI Norm Higgins
   
  • Baxter Academy for Technology and Science (May 31st at 11:00am/Merrill Auditorium-Portland)
  • Community Regional Charter School (June 13th at 6:00pm/Skowhegan Municipal Building, Opera House-Skowhegan)
  • Ecology Learning Center (June 5th at 5:00pm/MOFGA)
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences - Campus Program (July 18th at 6:00pm/MeANS Campus-Hinckley)
  • Maine Academy of Natural Sciences - Threshold Program (July 11th at 6:00pm/MeANS Campus-Hinckley)
  • Maine Arts Academy (June 1st at 12:00pm/Augusta Civic Center)
  • Maine Connections Academy (June 6th at 2:00pm/Merrill Auditorium-Portland)
  • Maine Virtual Academy (June 6th ay 2:00pm/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.