Meeting attendees introduced themselves.

Tori reported the following:

• The committee reviewed the Panorama Survey Results and noted concern for ACADIA Academy and Fiddlehead. 
• The committee recommends not to approve the NWEA Map waiver.
• The committee recommends Maine Arts Academy can move forward with their request to add grades 7 & 8.

James and Brian reported the following:

• Joe Drago presented an analysis of the 3rd Quarter Scores, provided an ACADIA status report and discussed the CRCS new facility project.
• Amy presented the final reconciled FY24 MCSC spending report.  
• The committee discussed MeArts Academy's request to add grades 7 & 8 beginning in 2025 and recommends they move forward with the addition.  The full Commission vote will occur in the September meeting.

Norm mentioned a change of structure for staff to discuss further in the Executive Director portion of the meeting.

Edward Polewarczyk, Maine House District 47 representative attended to learn about Charter Schools.  The Commissioners provided him an overview on the operations of the Commission.

Sherry Gilbert from Maine Arts Academy reported on the school's excitement about the renovations of their new building. 

Lana reported the following:

• Casey Bauer, ACADIA's executive director has resigned.  She offered thanks for his services and best wishes to him.
• Ecology Learning Center and Maine Virtual Academy are both in renewal.  They each continue to meet the document review deadlines, and their applications will be submitted on August 30. The Year 4 reports will be reviewed by the School Performance Committee in September and will be included in the evidence provided to the Commission for the October renewal vote.
• The Maine Connections Academy 5 Year Contract has been signed.  Congratulations to them for starting the next 5-year term.
• Baxter Acadamy's science teacher Katie Straight is a Semifinalist for the Maine Teacher of the Year.  She is currently Cumberland County Teacher of the Year.

• Eight Letters of Intent ("LOI") to apply for a new charter school were received.  The application due date is February 13.  The Commission will have a review team (to be formed).  David Hartman will provide training to the team who will make finalist recommendations during the April Commission meeting.  Capacity interviews and public hearings for the finalists will take place prior to a May Commission vote on the new charter school to open in the fall of 2026. Norm spoke about interest level from local college administrators, particularly in workforce development and expanding educational opportunities in Maine. He will update Mike Brennan on the application process.
• Lana reminded Commission members that per statute, members are not to engage with applicants at this stage in the process.  
• Tom relayed that the terms for 3 Commissioners expire in May of 2025, the month of the vote. 
• Amy, Joe and Lana have been attending end of year meetings with the administration and board members of each school. They review the Performance Framework detail and advise on where schools are doing well, where there are areas of improvement and growth, and where they need to focus attention.  The results will be part of the annual reports which will come before the Commission for approval in the November meeting.
• The School Performance Committee determined to not extend the NWEA testing waiver for this coming year to the schools that have requested it.  The Commission remains unconvinced the Maine Through Year Assessment provides reliable growth data to impact instruction and so the students will be required to take the NWEA Map assessment.  
• Now that the Commission's Mission, Vision and Values Statements have been revised, a new strategic plan will be launched in early 2025.  Professional development to draft the plan will be scheduled in December with Naomi Ruben DeVeaux who is contracting with the National Charter Schools Institute.  Tentatively, the PD will be scheduled on the morning of December 10th, prior to the monthly Commission meeting.
• Staffing update - Sue Whipkey has taken on additional financial responsibilities. She was offered and has accepted the newly created Budget Manager role.

Lana reviewed the Panorama Survey results where the schools are compared to like schools nationally on a percentile basis.  The results and action plans to address any concerns are discussed during the End of Year Meetings with school leadership.  Data leads to improvement because schools know what to improve.

• Baxter Academy for Technology and Science (Daniel Strader)

• Community Regional Charter School (Tonya Arnold)
• Ecology Learning Center (Michael Shell)

• Baxter Academy for Technology and Science (Thorn Dickinson)
• Ecology Learning Center (Laura Graham)
• Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (Kimberly Allen)
• Fiddlehead School of Arts & Sciences (Ben Kramer)
• Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (Dana Doran)
• Maine Academy of Natural Sciences (Mike Muir)

• SY2022-23 Annual Monitoring Reports Addendum
• SY2023-24 End of Year Unenrollment Data
• To Consider the Approval of Maine Arts Academy's Request to Expand Grade Levels to Include Grade 7 and Grade 8

• Annual Monitoring Reports will be received in November

• 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)

• September 10, 2024 (Maine Arts Academy, 310 Cony Road, Augusta) or Zoom
• 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

At 2:18 pm, Norm Higgins called the Commission members into Executive Session to discuss the Executive Director's annual performance review.  The members came out of Executive Session at 3:15 pm.