School Board
About the Richfield School Board
Members of the Richfield Public School District Board of Education set the vision and goals for the District, monitor progress and ensure accountability. Every decision they make is centered on what is best for students and incorporates student input throughout the process—from listening sessions with students to the inclusion of student board representatives. Student voice is reflected in the school board's policies, each of which is reviewed at least every five years to ensure continued alignment with the vision of the board and the needs of students, staff and families.
Photo above (left to right, front row): Student Board Representative Vanessa Rosas Miguel, Director Paula Cole, Student Board Representative Tania Brackenridge, Student Board Representative Gerardo Castañeda Lopez. (Back row): Clerk Rachel Banks Kupcho, Treasurer Ken Liss, Superintendent Steven Unowsky, Board Chair Eric Carter, Vice Chair Kirk Spencer, Director Tim Pollis.
Upcoming Board Meetings
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District Board Room
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District Board Room
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District Board Room
Resources
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Recent Board Meetings
Contact the Board
ERIC CARTER
BOARD OF EDUCATION, CHAIR, Term: January 2022-26
Eric has over 25 years of Information Technology leadership experience and is currently the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Comm-Works, a New Era Technology Company. Eric has served on the board since 2022 in the roles of director, vice chair and chair.
KIRK SPENCER
BOARD OF EDUCATION, VICE CHAIR, Term: January 2024-28
Kirk has been a leader in Information Technology for over 20 years, currently responsible for a global team of project/program managers. Kirk has served on the board since 2024 in the roles of director, treasurer and vice chair.
RACHEL BANKS KUPCHO
BOARD OF EDUCATION, CLERK, Term: January 2022-26
Rachel (Leech Lake Ojibwe) brings 20 years of experience working with tribal communities across Minnesota and the country and has served on the board since 2022 in the roles of director and clerk.
KENNETH LISS
BOARD OF EDUCATION, TREASURER, Term: January 2024-28
Ken is a retired Navy Captain and a former business owner. He now serves as a substitute teacher for multiple school districts. Ken has served on the board since 2024 in the roles of director and treasurer.
PAULA COLE
BOARD OF EDUCATION, DIRECTOR, Term: January 2024-28
A former elementary teacher, Paula is now the executive director for Educators for Excellence-MN. Paula has served on the board since 2016 in the roles of director, treasurer, vice chair and chair.
TIMOTHY POLLIS
BOARD OF EDUCATION, DIRECTOR, Term: January 2022-26
Tim works as an actuary and reinsurance broker and has served on the board since 2014 in the roles of director, treasurer, clerk, vice chair and chair.
Student Board Representatives
Student board representatives attend board meetings and provide board members with their perspectives on agenda items. They are key in providing student voice at the board level, and they frequently bring issues back to their high school peers and share what they hear from the board.
At the beginning of each school year, the RHS administrators advertise openings for student representatives, and interested students must fill out an application. The RHS administration interviews the interested students and selects representatives. Students then meet with the superintendent and board chair to ensure they understand the expectations and want to commit to the role. Student board representatives are eligible to receive a stipend of $600 per calendar year in which they serve on the board, or to decline the stipend and count the time as volunteer service hours.