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About Us » School Board

School Board

The Beacon Academy School Board is made up of 9 voting members, 5 teachers, 3 parents, and 1 community member. Original MN charter school law calls for a teacher majority on the board of directors and Beacon still follows this framework. Terms are three years with the exception of the community member which has a two-year term. Board members may run for one additional term. The board chair must be a parent member. The Executive Committee oversees the Principal position and is comprised of the Board Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.

The Governance Committee oversees the election process which runs from March to May of every year. Each parent or guardian of a student at the school and each employee has the right to cast one vote for the board candidates. Board member terms run July 1 to June 30.

School board meetings are open to the public. Meetings are typically on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm at our school at 3415 Louisiana Ave N, Crystal MN. Check the school calendar for up-to-date school board meeting dates and times.

School Board Elections

School Board elections are conducted online using an online election tool. Physical copies of the election materials are available by contacting the main office at 763-546-9999. Elections are in May of each year. Results are announced at the June school board meeting of that election year. 

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings of the school board are determined by the committee chair at the start of each school year. They can be found by looking at the calendar on the front page of the website or by contacting the committee chair.

Full Board Meeting

School Board meetings are held typically on the third Thursday of every month. The school community and members of the public are encouraged to attend school board meetings to be informed about school operations and budget.

Special Meeting

Any special meeting information will be posted here.

School Board Retreat

Any board retreat information will be posted here.

Matheu Weidenbach, Board Chair
[email protected] 

I am happy to have the opportunity to serve the Beacon Academy community as a member of the board.  Representing the best interests of our students, families, and staff is an honor.  My family has been a part of the Beacon community since 2019, and my wife Angela and I have a son in second grade.  In my professional life, I have experience in various aspects of project/financial management and business operations, and I actively volunteer for several non-profit organizations.  In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with my family, hiking, traveling, and being outside.

 

We joined Beacon because we were drawn to Beacon's focus on community and a rigorous, character-based curriculum, and have been excited to see the growth our son has experienced within this caring and thoughtful educational framework.  I firmly believe in taking a student-first approach that balances the needs of the broader community in order to drive the best outcomes for our kids.  I look forward to contributing to both maintaining and building upon the foundational principles that make Beacon so great.

 

         Parent seat, term expires June 2024

 

Melanie Spall, Vice Chair
[email protected] 

I have been involved with Beacon Academy for over 15 years. This has been as a middle-school teacher, parent and board member. As your Vice-Chairperson, my mission is to ensure we make smart financial decisions that benefit our students and teachers alike. 

I am an advocate for equity. This encompasses various aspects, from closing the achievement gap to promoting cultural competence in our school. I believe that by celebrating our differences and cultivating an environment of understanding and respect, we will achieve this.  

Outside of school, I spend the majority of my time reading with my three cats, cooking for my amazing family and exploring our wonderful, local bike trails.  

Teacher seat, term expires June 2026

Aaron Price, Board Treasurer
[email protected]

I am the proud parent of three wonderful children.  Two of my children currently attend Beacon Academy and one more will attend when old enough.  I have been a licensed foster parent for Hennepin county and have participated on several for-profit and non-profit boards.  I feel very privileged to serve the Beacon Academy community in this way.  My wife, Johanna, and I are strong proponents of Beacon’s approach to education, character building, and community.

Parent seat, term expires June 2024

Elizabeth Brobeck, Board Secretary
[email protected] 

I began working at Beacon in the fall of the 2017-18 school year and am proud and passionate about our wonderful, supportive community. I am currently our Q-Comp Coordinator and was previously a 3rd grade teacher. In my role as Q-Comp Coordinator, I provide instructional coaching for our teaching staff.  I also oversee our professional development opportunities and Professional Learning Communities (PLC). I am honored to be serving my second term on Beacon’s school board, currently as the Secretary. It is vital to me, as a member, to support our school’s values and missions, from Character Education to upholding our strong community of learners, staff, and families. Each decision made is focused on keeping Beacon a unique gem of a school in the Twin Cities.

 

Outside of my many roles at Beacon, I enjoy exploring my beautiful and always exciting South Minneapolis community, reading, traveling, and spending time with my friends and family.

 

            Teacher seat, term expires June 2025

 

 

Norah Antil, Board Member
[email protected] 

I have been with Beacon for 7 years now, teaching PE for grades k-8 and Health for grades 6-8. I came to Beacon after time spent in other schools and never fully felt the love and passion that you feel within these halls. Beacon staff is truly something special and I am humbled to serve as representative for them and for our families to keep Beacon going in the right direction. I truly believe in the students-first approach, while still honoring the main concepts of Beacon that make this place truly one of a kind.

 

While not telling jokes with students, and playing games with them, I can be found coaching out in White Bear for JO volleyball, in the kitchen trying new recipes, and spending time with my husband Louis, and our two year old son Raiden by going to parks, hitting some trails, and occasionally with a book in my hand…occasionally.

Teacher seat, term expires June 2026

Wendy Terry, Community Member
[email protected] 

My family and I have been part of the Beacon community since the fall of 2006, when my eldest daughter started kindergarten here. My daughters have both graduated from Beacon, and we have two sons that we expect to have enrolled until they graduate 8th grade as well. Over the years, I have volunteered in multiple capacities, including serving as moving day logistics point person for the move to Crystal and serving twice on the PTO Board. I have almost 20 years of experience serving on non-profit boards in 3 states and currently work part-time as a member of the fund development team at a local church. In my free time, I enjoy reading, working logic puzzles, and watching sci-fi and comic book movies with my family.

 

Our family came to Beacon because of the rigorous curriculum and daily Spanish. We stayed through 2 moves and 3 suburbs because of the amazing community we found here. My goal is to continue to see our founding principles of rigor, character, and community grow and thrive in our new home.

 

Community member seat, term expires June 2025

 

Matthew Goodman, Board Member
[email protected]

        Teacher seat, term expires June 2024

Breanna Felske, Board Member
[email protected] 

I am very excited for the opportunity to serve on the Beacon Academy School Board. Last year I was a fifth grade teacher at Beacon and this year I am teaching 7th and 8th grade English.  While my time at Beacon has not been extensive, it is easy to see the special community that Beacon encapsulates. During my time here, I have been involved on the yearbook committee, finance committee, and volunteered on various occasions throughout the school year. Alongside teaching, I am very passionate about creating a classroom that is full of intrinsically motivated students. As a member, I am committed to upholding the principles and values that make Beacon a place where all students are given the opportunity to succeed. 


Outside of Beacon, I enjoy reading, traveling, running, sports and spending quality time with loved ones.

       
         Teacher seat, term expires June 2024

Jamarcus Walker, Community Member

Community seat, term expires June 2024

Beacon Academy has four board-level committees. These committees meet monthly, receive direction from the board, and report back to the board as appropriate. The committees are made up of board members, staff members, and parents, and all meetings are open to the public. 

Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee reviews the school's curriculum on a defined review cycle and makes recommendations to the school board based on their findings. They meet once a month while school is in session. Refer to the school calendar for meeting days and times.

Employee Retention and Compensation
The Employee Retention and Compensation Committee explores avenues for retaining our quality employees through monetary and non-monetary compensation. Meetings take place when school is in session. Refer to the school calendar for meeting days and times.

Fund Development Task Force
The Fund Development Task Force searches for alternative funding avenues for Beacon Academy.

Finance
The Finance Committee works closely with the Business Manager, the Board Treasurer, and the Principal to ensure financial accountability and stability for Beacon Academy. The Finance Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the same day as the board meetings.. If the board meeting date/time changes, so does the Finance Committee meeting. The chair of the Finance Committee is Aaron Price. 

Finance Committee Meeting Dates 2023 - 2024:
September 21st
October 24th
November 16th
December 14th
January 18th
February 15th
March 21st
April 18th
May 16th
June 13th
July 18th 

Governance
The Governance Committee reviews and creates the policies for Beacon Academy. They meet monthly all year around except for July and December. This committee meets one Monday night a month. The chair of the Governance Committee is Ann Marie Roder. 

 Governance Committee Meeting Dates 2023 - 2024:
August 28th
September 25th
October 30th
November 27th
December 18th
January 29th
February 26th
March 18th
April 29th
May 20th
June 24th

Access all Policies Here

Friends of Beacon (FOB) is a building corporation, formed as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization on behalf of Beacon Academy. FOB meets as needed.

Friends of Beacon Board Members

  • Ann Marie Roder - President
  • Chelsea Sobraske - Treasurer
  • Eldred Bach- Secretary