Board of Directors Information

  • View the 2023-24 Board of Directors Meeting and Workshop Calendar here.

  • View the 2023-24 Board of Directors Roster here.

2024 Board Election Timeline

On January 24, 2023, the Board of Directors approved a two-year plan to reduce the number of seats on the Board of Directors. The 2023-2024 Board of Directors was reduced to nine seats made up of five teacher seats and four parent/community member seats. The 2024-2025 Board of Directors will be reduced to seven seats made up of four teacher seats and three parent/community member seats. View Board of Directors 2024 Election Information here.

  • Board nominations are due by Friday, February 2, 2024.
  • Candidate Questionnaires are due by Friday, February 9, 2024.
2024 School Board Election Guide
2024 Board Election Candidate Forum Information
  • Election Guide will be published on Friday, February 16, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
  • Candidate Forum will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 6:00 pm in the auditorium.
  • Official election will open on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
  • Voting closes Monday, March 18, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.
  • Official election results are announced at the Annual Board Meeting on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

BoardDocs

BoardDocs promotes open communication and transparency of the school governance process. As such, BoardDocs allows anyone to review Board meeting agendas, workshop topics, supporting documents, and approved minutes.

Working Groups/Task Forces

The Working Groups / Task Forces of the Eagle Ridge Academy Board of Directors are advisory groups created to support the mission of the school by focusing on certain areas of the school’s operations. The main purpose of these groups is to research and develop the best practices in each area and present them to the Board for consideration. Any courses of action approved by the Board will be assigned to the school administration for implementation. Current working groups include the Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Achievement Work Group, World’s Best Workforce, the Governance Work Group, and the Policy Work Group. View more information about the groups on BoardDocs.

  • View Board Bylaws here.
  • View the Board Handbook here.
Clare Murray
Clare MurrayBoard Chair, Teacher
Date Seated: 9.24.19
Date Term Expires: 6.30.25
cmurray@eagleridgeacademy.org
Clare Murray has been a third grade teacher at Eagle Ridge Academy since the 2014-15 school year. In 2009, she earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from the College of St. Benedict, and she completed her Master’s in Elementary Education at St. Scholastica in 2019. She also has a Certificate in Literacy Instruction from St. Scholastica. She has two children, Finnegan and Adeline. Finnegan is a student in the School of Grammar at Eagle Ridge Academy. Prior to serving on the Board of Directors, Clare served as the Team Lead for Third Grade for three years. Clare is passionate about the liberal arts and Classical education, and she strives to develop her students into lifelong learners. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking her dogs, and camping with her family. They try to visit at least one national park a year.
Elliott Loutsch
Elliott LoutschVice Board Chair, Parent
Date Seated: 7.1.22
Date Term Expires: 6.30.24
eloutsch@eagleridgeacademy.org

Elliott Loutsch has been involved in real estate since 2000 and has a real estate appraiser license. He has experience valuing both residential and commercial properties as well as reviewing appraisals for financial institutions. Elliott is currently employed at a financial services company as the Collateral Risk Manager and is responsible for appraisal and environmental policy, appraisal engagement and review, and real estate collateral risk. He has been married to Tina for approaching 20 years and has two children. Cadence is a student in the School of Rhetoric and Morghann is a student in the School of Logic. Both participate in athletics and activities at Eagle Ridge Academy. Hobbies that Elliott enjoys include playing volleyball in a men’s league for more than 20 years, watching his daughters’ athletic teams, exercising, cooking, and visiting the occasional brewery or winery. He also enjoys assisting the coach at ERA’s summer volleyball clinics as a volunteer.

David Croson
David CrosonTreasurer, Parent
Date Seated: 7.1.21
Date Term Expires: 6.29.25
dcroson@eagleridgeacademy.org

David Croson teaches strategic management and entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2021 as a Parent Representative, and currently serves as Board Treasurer. He also serves as the Board Liaison with Friends of Eagle Ridge Academy (FERA), the school’s 501(c)(3) funding entity supporting scholarship endowments and other long-term capital needs. He is the proud father of two Gryphons: one in the Class of 2025 and one in the Class of 2027.

Anne Bartow
Anne BartowSecretary, Teacher
Date Seated: 7.1.20
Date Term Expires: 6.30.24
abartow@eagleridgeacademy.org
Anne Bartow has been a second grade teacher at Eagle Ridge Academy since the 2016-2017 school year. She earned a B.A. in Child Psychology and Development from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2002 and her Master’s in teaching certificate from Hamline University in 2006. In 2021, Anne also earned her charter school leadership certificate from Southwest State University. She has two children, Michael (12) and Elliot (7). In addition to serving as Board Secretary, Anne served as Peer Coach for three years and is currently the 2nd grade team lead. Anne continues to serve on the Eagle Ridge Board of Directors because she wants to make a difference in the school and give back to the community. In her spare time, Anne enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and enjoying Minnesota’s beautiful landscape.
Betsy Bixby
Betsy BixbyTeacher
Date Seated: 7.1.23
Date Term Expires: 6.30.25
bbixby@eagleridgeacademy.org
Betsy Bixby graduated from Eagle Ridge Academy in 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Latin & Greek and her master’s degree in Education from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She has taught Latin at Eagle Ridge Academy since 2020.
Erik Edin
Erik EdinTeacher
Date Seated: 9.29.23
Date Term Expires: 6.30.25
eedin@eagleridgeacademy.org
Coming Soon
Kathy Oberstar
Kathy OberstarCommunity Member
Date Seated: 9.26.23
Date Term Expires: 6.30.24
koberstar@eagleridgeacademy.org

Coming Soon

Farhiya Roble
Farhiya RobleParent
Date Seated: 7.1.22
Date Term Expires: 6.30.24
froble@eagleridgeacademy.org

Farhiya Roble is a strong advocate of Classical education and the sense of independence and academic curiosity that it instills, which was imparted to her during her own early education. As an ERA Board member, she promises to support both the values of Classical education and the academic success of all students. She is the mother of four children: Ahmed and Umar are enrolled in the School of Grammar, Muhammad and Rudayna in the School of Logic.

Farhiya holds bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Political Science from the University of Connecticut and University of Southern Maine. She has worked in the Scott County Public Health department for more than 10 years.

In her free time, she enjoys long walks, hiking, working out, and spending time with family and friends.

Open Position
Open PositionTeacher
Date Seated:
Date Term Expires:
@eagleridgeacademy.org

Coming Soon

Jason Ulbrich
Jason UlbrichExecutive Director
Ex Officio Member
No Expiration Term
julbrich@eagleridgeacademy.org