Fiddlehead School

“The school was organized with fiddlehead center for the arts as the sole- member. The bylaws "article 2 - members" has been changed to read "there shall be no members as provided for in 13-b mrsa section 402".”

“Through march 2018, fiddlehead art & science center (the "center"), a maine nonprofit recognized by the irs as a 501(c)(3) organization, was the sole member of the school. In march, the school's board voted to amend the membership section of the bylaws so there shall be no members of the corporation. During its period of membership, the center was controlled by a separate and independent board of directors; however, the center had certain voting rights which included the right to appoint the greatest number of directors which constitutes a minority of the school's board.”

“Until march 2018, the voting rights of the member included: a) the appointment of the greatest number of directors that constitutes a minority of the board (the "appointed directors"); b) the non-exclusive right to nominate individuals to serve as elected directors; c) the removal of any or all appointed directors; d) and the approval of a change of the number of directors constituting the board of directors within the limitations prescribed in the articles of incorporation”

“A copy of the completed draft form 990 is distributed to the board of directors for review and approval prior to filing. The board of directors has the chance to question or request changes to the form. After a final version of the form 990 is distributed to the board, the executive director will cause the form 990 to be filed as required.”

“Each director, officer, employee, and volunteer shall be provided with and asked to review a copy of the conflict of interest policy (the policy) and to acknowledge in writing that he or she has done so. The policy shall be reviewed annually by the board of directors. Any changes to the policy shall be communicated to all staff and volunteers.”

“At least annually, the board of directors (or a compensation committee) evaluates the executive director on her performance. The executive director's salary is set by board approval and based on comparability studies of similarly situated organizations. The board documents how it reached its decision, including the data on which it relied, in minutes of the meeting during which the compensation was approved.”

“No other officers or key employees”

“The organization makes its governing documents available to the public upon request.”

“Organization's mission continued what we strive for: fiddlehead school of arts and sciences is committed to the growth and development of the whole child- socially, emotionally, physically, academically, intellectually, and artistically. The goal of a fiddlehead education is for students to build a toolbox of habits, skills, and wonderings to drive a lifelong love of learning. We aim to empower learners to seek answers to their own questions and to develop the means necessary for this endeavor. What we believe: at fiddlehead, six core educational beliefs drive our practices throughout the grades: we believe children are capable, competent, innately curious, and that they are the co-constructors of their own learning. Our school maintains a deep respect for children and childhood. We believe in teachers as facilitators of learning, closely observing children, assessing understanding through a variety of approaches, and using this knowledge to help students extend their thinking. We offer students a variety of materials and methods to express themselves and their understandings, guiding learning through diverse pathways. We believe in learning as a social endeavor, taking place in the cultural context of the child, family, school, and broader community. To this end, we see school and family as partners in a child's education. We believe that social and emotional development are important cornerstones of education. Our students learn to respect diversity in all its forms, problem solve social conflicts, and be advocates for themselves and others. We believe in connecting students to the larger world outside the school walls through relationships with community resources and the natural environment. We help students cultivate a sense of place and an understanding of, and appreciation for, the interconnectedness of the world in which they live. We believe in the importance of documenting student work and experiences in order to make learning visible to students, families, and our school community.”