Retired high school English teacher Sondra Erickson also serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Photo credit: www.sondraerickson.com.

Many excellent teachers achieve success in fields other than education. One of these is Sondra Erickson, a retired teacher who also served as a state legislator in the Minnesota State House of Representatives.

Sondra was born on March 2, 1942, in Ada, Minnesota. She was raised in Taft, North Dakota. She graduated from Hillsboro High School, and then from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, earning her Bachelor’s degree in English in 1964. She attended graduate school at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1968 to 1970.

After she earned her degrees, Sondra taught high school English at Princeton High School, a public school located in Princeton, Minnesota. Her career as an educator spanned 35 years.

Sondra was first elected to represent District 16A and 17A in the state legislature on the Republican ticket in 1998. She was re-elected in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, and served until 2008. Since 2013, she has represented District 15A in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Sondra carried her interest in educational matters with her into her new position. She worked tirelessly on the Committees for Education Policy; Education Finance; Higher Education Finance and Policy; Ethics; and Taxes. In addition to her work in the legislature, the talented educator served on the Minnesota Board of Teaching from 1992 to 1997, bringing her “students first” philosophy to the table. Currently, Sondra says her focus is to open doors for high quality teachers of color.

In addition to her responsibilities as a legislator, Sondra is a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Civic Betterment Club, Central Minnesota Republican Women, and Farm Bureau.

To read more about Chalkboard Politician Sondra Erickson, see her website at www.sondraerickson.com.