Birchwood Charter Schools
Governance Board 

The Birchwood Charter Schools Governance Board helps guide and direct the Birchwood Charter Schools (Birchwood Public Montessori, Bobcat Virtual Academy, Birchwood STEAM and Career Academy and supports their missions and educational opportunities for students. 

More Information and Minutes, Click image Below

Governance Board Mission:

Our mission is to lead a new choice in quality education by providing direction in recruitment, financial support, and instructional vision.

GENNA PETERSON – VICE-PRESIDENT: Genna Peterson, her husband Mike and three boys live on the scout camp on Long Lake.  There they spend their time enjoying the great outdoors and working on their little hobby farm. Genna works for a large animal vet and Mike is employed by the Boy Scouts of America. Genna moved to the Rice Lake/ Birchwood area 6 years ago to build a life with her husband. Once the time came to decide where their children would attend school, Mike and Genna went to an open house at the Birchwood schools. After sitting in on presentations given by the students at the Montessori and Charter school, they chose to open enroll their son into the Montessori school. Genna joined the board in 2023.

CANDY SEVERSON – SECRETARY: Candy Severson and her husband, Jon, retired to the Birchwood area in 2002. She graduated from the College of Education at the University of Minnesota with a major in math and a minor in business. For the majority of her career she was a registered representative at Merrill Lynch where, in addition to handling client accounts, her responsibilities included training office staff. She joined the Governance Board as a community member in 2010 and is beginning her seventh year as secretary. She has been a senior volunteer at Birchwood School for ten years, spending the last four years in the E1 classroom helping with practical life. When asked why she volunteers and serves on the board, her answer is that it is all about the kids, helping provide the best educational options. She enjoys genealogy and walks with her dogs.

MIKE ACREY – COMMUNITY MEMBER: Mike Acrey worked at General Motors in Arlington Texas. He began vacationing in the Birchwood area in the late 1990's. He retired after 30 years at GM in 2004 and moved permanently to Wisconsin to retire in 2006. In 2009 when The Birchwood Cafe and adjoining Laudromat came up for sale Mike and his wife Betsey came out of retirement. He joined the board in 2011 as a community member and served as Vice-President from 2013-2024. Mike is also active with the Lions Club. When not at the Cafe, he finds enjoyment on the golf course. Mike has three sons and 10 grandchildren.

For more information and a link to current minutes, please click here.