On behalf of the Eagle Ridge Academy Board of Directors, it is our pleasure to announce the following newly elected members of the Eagle Ridge Academy Board of Directors:

Continuing Board members are:

View the 2026 Board Election guide and continuing Board member bios on the Board page. We would also like to take a moment to acknowledge our departing Board members Lisa Johnson (Teacher Member) and Surendra Kanneganti (Parent Member) and thank them for their service to the Academy.

Lastly, we want to thank everyone in our community who participated in this year’s election. We appreciate your thoughtful consideration of each candidate. We also express our gratitude to all the candidates. Your willingness to serve demonstrates your commitment to our vision and mission. Together as one community, we will continue to pursue Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. All Board of Directors information can be found on the Board page. Please contact the Board with questions at board@eagleridgeacademy.org.

Friday, March 27, is the final day of Quarter 3. There is no school and the office will be closed Monday, March 30, due to grading, Tuesday, March 31 - Friday, April 3, due to spring break, and Monday, April 6, due to data planning. Quarter 4 will begin Tuesday, April 7.

At Eagle Ridge Academy, we follow the pursuit of Veritas, Pulchritudo, and Probitas, identifying in Latin the central tenets of our school: Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Spring Break is an opportunity to bring learning outside of the classroom and make Classical connections in the "real world". This Spring Break, we want to hear from YOU!

How is your family living classically and pursuing truth, beauty, and goodness over the break? Are you reading together, going on a hike, or going to a concert? We would love to see photos of your Classical adventures! Use this form to share a photo or two, along with the brief description on how you family sought out Truth, Beauty, and Goodness over break.

We will be sharing these photos and descriptions with the ERA community to celebrate Classical education and encourage others to continue their learning outside of the classroom as we head into summer!

Thank you for taking the time to make a Classical connection over the break and for sharing it with us. When parents and teachers work together, we can inspire a life-long passion for learning.

April 7-10 is Pillar Week at Eagle Ridge Academy! During Pillar Week, the whole school is encouraged to dress up according to various themes chosen by Student Senate that embody Eagle Ridge Academy’s Pillars of Citizenship, Integrity, Perseverance, Honor, Excellence, and Respect.

Show citizenship by dressing up in cultural wear that represents your background.

Dress up as a character from a book or history that showed integrity.

Dress up as someone in your ideal future career.

Dress up to show support for a cause you are passionate about.

Eagle Ridge Academy is preparing transportation routes for the 2026-27 school year. Please review the information below for important details and required action items. 

The Academy remains committed to keeping transportation affordable. Many surrounding charter schools charge higher fees or limit busing to their resident district. Eagle Ridge Academy continues to offer a broader, cost-effective transportation service. Transportation fees will remain the same for 2026-27: $450 per student / $1,125 family cap.

The Academy uses centrally located community stops and does not schedule individual home stops. To build efficient routes, we rely on timely family participation.

Please complete a Change in Transportation Form by Tuesday, April 7 if:

May 15 - Initial Routes are Built: Initial routes will be built using information from students currently using Academy‑provided transportation, Transportation Change Request Forms data, and new students who requested transportation during enrollment for the 2026-27 school year.

June 1- Initial Routes are Published: Initial routes will be published for families to review. Feedback may be submitted using the Initial Route Feedback Form.

July 1 - Transportation Contracts Due: All families—new and returning—must complete a 2026-27 Transportation Contract and submit a full payment guarantee transportation for the first day of school. This requirement applies even if your child used Academy‑provided transportation during the 2025-26 school year. Contracts from the previous year do not carry over.

August 1 - Final Routes Published: Final routes will be published based on Transportation Contracts received by July 1. After this date, route adjustments will be made ONLY for safety-related reasons, not for convenience or preferred stop locations. The Academy reserves the right to make changes to routes that may affect the timing or location of bus stops. 

The grading view in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal closed on Wednesday, March 25, for teachers to enter Quarter 3 grades. The grading view will reopen at the end of the day on Thursday, April 9, and Quarter 3 progress reports will be available to view.

The Academy does not send home hard copies of progress reports. You will need to log into the Parent Portal to view your child's progress report. Quarter progress reports and semester report cards from the 2025-26 school year will be available to view in the portal until June 30, 2026. 

The entire community is invited to Eagle Ridge Academy on Saturday, May 9, for the 12th Annual Donut Dash 5K and Mini-Donut 1/2 Mile for Kids! Whether you are a runner, a walker, or a donut enthusiast, this is the event for you. Leaving and finishing at Eagle Ridge Academy, this Minnetonka route is an accurately measured 5K course, is chip- and mat-timed, and takes you on a picturesque run or walk just north of Bren Road. There will be complimentary chair massages, rock tape applications, DJ music, giveaways, fun youth activities, post-race refreshments, and DONUTS!

Online registration will close May 7. Registrations placed after April 2 are not guaranteed a race shirt. Prices will increase on April 3.

Your participation will help support Eagle Ridge Academy, offering a time-tested, Classical liberal arts education to students in grades K-12.

Learn more about this beloved event, view pictures from previous years, and register now here. See you there!

Our largest Classical event of the year is coming up two weeks from today! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, for an evening of Classical classes, where you, as a parent, have the opportunity to sit in on two of our classes. You become the student! From working through mental math strategies to responding in seminars, learning Latin to applying oracy skills, you'll have a front row seat to Classical education. At the end of each session, teachers will share simple ways to extend this learning at home.

RSVP for Classical In-Action Parent Night and choose your top three three classes from the list below. Registrations are due by April 6 so that class schedules can be planned.

Come for the classes, stay for the PTO-hosted social afterward to reflect with fellow parents on all your learning. Please email ERA Classical Coordinator Suzannah Toso with questions about the event. We look forward to having you in class!

Grow in Reading with Laurie Basic (Grades 1-3)

"Join me to learn and develop strategies to help your students read and spell longer words. I'll model segmenting and blending common vowel teams and demonstrate how to approach multisyllabic words. You will leave with a resource of words, passages, and word work that you can use to help them develop in the future."

Classical Enrichment with Suzannah Toso (Grade 2)

"Wonder how we make recitation come alive for students? At ERA, students in K-4 read, analyze, and recite poems throughout the year in Classical Enrichment. Come join us as we dive into the beauty of the poetry of Langston Hughes! We will work to interpret his poem, relating it to historical figures as well as ourselves before working to memorize. Come for poignant discussion, tips on memorization, and a look at how we can all work to get truth, beauty, and goodness into hearts and minds!"

Mathematics with Josie Harris (Grade 4)

"Join me for a sample lesson from Saxon Intermediate 5! I’ll model what a typical Saxon lesson looks like and share strategies to help you support your child in reaching their highest potential in math. I’ll also provide simple tips and ideas for keeping math skills sharp and practiced over the summer months."

Science with Taylor Peterson (Grade 5)

"Come learn about the animal and plant cell. We will use models to practice the labeling. Science projects can be fun but also difficult. Come learn about tips and advice to support students with science projects!"

Language Arts with Sophie Thao (Grade 5)

History with Sam Sundermeyer (Grade 8)

"Sit in on a lesson regarding the early history of the modern Civil Rights Movement. Through instruction featuring a shared text, Socratic seminar, and written critical thinking, you will grasp the education your student receives daily in a Humanities classroom at Eagle Ridge Academy."

Art with Emma Connor

Humanities with Cole Zak

"This session will model a typical School of Rhetoric Socratic Seminar and serve as an introduction to seminars as an instructional tool. Throughout the session, we will emphasize the skills needed to communicate effectively in these discussions and be successful in Humanities. We will be reading and discussing Percy Shelley's Ozymandias, a classic poem from the Romantic era."

Reading for Meaning with Ms. Miskowiec (Grades 4-12)

"In this session, parents will learn practical strategies for breaking down multisyllabic words into manageable parts in order to use those parts and context clues to determine the word’s meaning. Participants will explore simple, research-informed techniques—such as identifying prefixes, suffixes, and root words—that build stronger reading comprehension and confidence. Learning these skills will allow families to integrate these skills into reading at home, ensuring students improve vocabulary skills and gain greater independence as readers."

The ERA Parent Teacher Organization invites grades K-8 and families to their annual School Skate Night for Grades K-8! Join them at Skateville (201 River Ridge Cir. S, Burnsville, MN 55337) on Sunday, April 12, 4:00-6:00 p.m., for skating, games, and music.

Children MUST be accompanied by adults. It is not a drop-off event. Roller skate rental is $15/person (includes skate rental) and will be collected at the door. Please email president@erapto.org with questions about the event.

Interested in becoming more involved in the ERA community? Consider joining the ERA Parent Teacher Organization! The PTO sponsors and organizes events such as the Used Uniform Sales, Book Bingo, and Teacher Appreciation Week. There will be two spots open in the next election: Vice President and Communications Secretary.

For more information, contact PTO Board President Loren Christianson at president@era.pto.org. The election will be held at the PTO's next meeting in the ERA Library on Monday, April 13, at 5:30 p.m.

Eagle Ridge Academy is fortunate to have an abundance of caring families and staff who donate their time and talents selflessly to make Eagle Ridge Academy a better place. Every single minute donated makes a difference in what we can do for students.

In appreciation for each moment given in volunteerism to Eagle Ridge Academy and its community, we are pleased to invite our volunteers to a Volunteer Appreciation Event on Tuesday, April 21, at Eagle Ridge Academy. The evening will include a program highlighting the wonderful work you have done this school year and honoring you for your many talents and time given. We will follow the program with a reception of desserts, refreshments, and entertainment from comedian John DeBoer.

All who have donated their time this year in any capacity are welcome to attend! Please kindly RSVP by April 15.

Thank you for making an impact on everything Eagle Ridge Academy and for allowing us to deliver the best education and experiences possible to our students.

Eagle Ridge Academy is proud to host its 13th annual charity golf tournament at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park on Monday, June 15, 12:00-6:30 p.m. The Gryphon Classic Golf Tournament is a four-person scramble, bringing together community to raise important funds for the Academy. Enjoy an afternoon of golf and camaraderie on the course while playing for a good cause! 

The event includes 18 holes of golf, cart and greens fees, lunch and social hour by Tavern at Edinburgh, complimentary drink ticket, golfer gift, and social hour/dinner. Whether you are an avid golfer, never picked up a club, or want to come out to volunteer, we welcome you to be part of our Gryphon Classic Golf Tournament.

Eagle Ridge Academy uniform vendor Lands' End is running a 25% off sale through April 13!

Use code HOPANDSAVE25 at the links below and follow this link for more information on uniforms.

Lands’ End Lower School – Preferred School Number: 900137977
Lands’ End Middle School – Preferred School Number: 900096934
Lands’ End High School – Preferred School Number: 900137985

Spring athletics and activities registration is still open for Girls Flag Football, Youth Volleyball, Middle School Track & Field, and Lego League! Register here.

Congratulations to Mihir N., Risa D., Prithvi A., and Yeshasvi T. for securing second place in the grades K-5 category at the MN Annual State Scholastic Chess championship held at Anderson Student Center, University of St. Thomas! We are proud of these students for their hard work and commitment to excellence.

Join the ERA Booster Club at Unmapped Brewing (14625 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka) from 6:00-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, for a bingo fundraiser to support our student athletes and activities!

This event is open to the public, so invite your friends, neighbors, and anyone who enjoys a fun evening out. The more people who play, the more we can give back to our students! There will be great drinks, a food truck, cash prizes, raffles, and fun giveaways throughout the evening.

10 Bingo Games + Extra Coverall Game

The Fine Arts Festival will be a combined event featuring the work of School of Grammar students in art and music. Presented over the course of two evenings, audience members will have the opportunity to hear songs prepared in music class, view art works created in art class and hear poetry prepared in their Classical Enrichment course (K-3). After their performance, families will enjoy the art gallery in the forum and Story Walk in the Solarium and/or out on the patio.

The first evening will be Tuesday, April 28. The schedule is as follows:
5:30 p.m. – Kindergarten Informance
6:30 p.m. – Grade 2 Informance
7:30 p.m. – Grade 4 Informance

The second evening will be Thursday, April 30. The schedule is as follows:
5:30 p.m. – Grade 1 Informance
6:30 p.m. – Grade 3 Informance

Celebrating March 14 (3.14) is a tradition at Eagle Ridge Academy. For over a month, School of Grammar fourth-graders have been practicing the memorization of pi. On March 13, the thirteen fourth graders who memorized the most digits of pi showed off their amazing memorization skills by reciting pi in the Auditorium in front of their entire grade, making it look as easy as 3.14159! 

This year’s first place winner, Ameera R. from Ms. Sheppard's class, recited a remarkable 202 digits of pi! It was neck and neck for second and third place, with Aaradhya G. from Ms. Sheppard's class reciting 78 digits of pi, and Aarush K. from Harris' class reciting 77 digits of pi. Incredible work, fourth graders!

The celebration continued with slices of pie at the end of the day. Thank you to our fourth grade parents for generously donating pies to our classrooms, and thank you to our fourth-grade teachers for organizing this beloved tradition year after year.

During the months of April and May, students in grades 3-11 will be taking the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA). The testing schedule is to the right and is also available on the Academy website. If you have specific questions about testing, please contact your child’s teacher.

Admittance into the Olympus Club appropriately reflects the endless hours these School of Rhetoric students have spent securing a 2025-26 first-semester grade point average of a 3.33 or above, along with embodying the CIPHER pillars on a daily basis. Olympus Club recognition is more than an honor roll, it also acknowledges students who display The Gryphon Way through a commitment toward attendance (fewer than 3 tardies all semester) and behavior (fewer than 3 Pillar Referrals, no detentions or infractions).

Our scholars have been recognized in grade-level assemblies and presented with a certificate suitable for framing. They have earned the privlege to wear Spirit Wear during interim assessments.

PSEO (Post-Secondary Enrollment Opportunity) registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open through May 30.

Students are registered as full-time Eagle Ridge Academy students until their participating institution accepts them into the PSEO program. Once accepted, the students will meet with Mrs. Kaiser, Academic Counselor, to adjust their 26-27 schedule.

External scholarships are listed below. If you would like to receive the weekly Scholarship Newsletter, please sign up here.

Pledge your annual support to Eagle Ridge Academy with an affordable monthly gift, broken down into smaller amounts, which makes giving easier and allows a predictable revenue source for Eagle Ridge Academy. Click here to pledge your annual support.

Box Tops for Education helps families earn money for ERA with products they already buy. Download the app, set up your account, and scan your grocery store receipts. The app automatically finds eligible items and credits them to ERA!

Consider reaching out to your Community Relations or HR Department to ask about their community support and employee giving opportunities! Many employers match employee gifts. Search here to see if your workplace matches.

Thank you for reading the Eagle Eye newsletter and for staying updated on what's going on at Eagle Ridge Academy. If you haven't already, please make sure bookmark the ERA website, like the ERA Facebook page and follow the ERA Instagram to see more frequent updates.

The next issue of the Eagle Eye newsletter will be published on Thursday, April 16.