Donate
Donate

CHERI EKSTRAND

Cares about the safety, well-being & overall success of each Columbia Heights student.
Restore Academic Performance

Over half of MN students can’t read or do math at grade level––the lowest they have been in 30 yrs. We need to be successful at educating our students by raising the standard.

 

  • Supports the science of reading which incorporates phonics
  • Advocate legislatively for accurate MCA Scores
  • Pay special attention that curriculum selected teaches the science of reading
Safety in School

Students need a safe learning environment free of disruptive behavior that inhibits learning. Student accountability is key. The goal is to create policies where teachers are empowered to provide safe boundaries.

 

  • Values school resource officers
  • Encourages the use of security paraprofessionals
  • Supports improvements to the school structures that improve school safety
  • Ensures that policies are enforced to prepare students to be respectful
Champion Parental Involvement

Parents have the right to be informed and to know the curriculum their students are studying––the supplemental resources and speakers that are brought into the classroom. Enhancing the partnership between parents, teachers, and students will help restore our schools.

Financial Transparency

The children of our community are our future. They are our future's most treasured asset. They are a worthy investment.

 

That being said, the investors are the taxpayer. The School Board owes the people of Columbia Heights an itemized accounting of where their resources are being allocated and for what purpose. 

 

Know that as your school board member, I will advocate for fiscal responsibility and accountability.

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EQUIP OUR STUDENTS

Are our students prepared for their next chapter in life?

Check out

Columbia Heights’

Report Card here here

Some critics have claimed we have no national reading crisis at all, but in 2024 the Minnesota Department of Education released a report that over half of MN students cannot read at grade level.  Not being able to read leads to countless social, emotional, and physical challenges for students. With the diversity within the Columbia Heights School District, many with English as their second language, we need to double our efforts to reduce the language barrier. 

MN MATH STUDENTS MET STATE STANDARDS
0%
MN SCIENCE STUDENTS MET STATE STANDARDS
0%
MN STUDENTS MET STATE READING STANDARDS (per MDE)
0%

Help Fight Government Overreach & Protect Children's Innocence

HOME  |  QUESTIONS ANSWER

When I began to see ideologies & harmful agendas creep in and overshadow/crowd out the fundamentals of learning, I decided I could not stand idle while our community's children are detrimentally impacted with long-lasting effect.

Our community's children need advocates to shield them from policies that interfere with providing a safe learning environment.
Help Cheri Advocate for our Community's Children

PRIORITIZE

school
safety

School resource officers serve as the main security force in schools and are one of the first lines of interaction to break up fights between students or between students and staff.  We NEED them in our schools because they are essential to the safety to our students, teachers and staff. The new law that passed in the senate last session states that SRO’s cannot use the prone position or certain physical holds to restrain the suspect.  Several law enforcement agencies have pulled out of school districts because they cannot do their job effectively because of this new law. We must resolve to fix this new state law in order to maintain safety in our schools.

Security professionals play an instrumental part of a school staff. They are a valued resource for teachers in a variety of ways. They oversee classroom activities, providing students one-on-one guidance with lessons, working with students who have challenging behaviors and physical disabilities. In doing so, they can provide more insight to their specific needs. Whereas the demands of the classroom have increased over the years, there is a dire need of more paraprofessionals in the schools today!

Having an effective facilities maintenance plan that supports improvements to school structures will ensure the health and safety of our students. It will also have a positive affect on their educational performance while creating a physical setting that is adequate and appropriate for learning. 

Keeping a strict preventive maintenance program will produce fewer emergency events while reducing disruptions in the classroom schedule. 

I value the presence of SRO’s in our schools because they serve as the main security force and they are essential to the safety of our students, teachers and staff.

GET IN TOUCH

Volunteer Help Cheri Win!

 

Help Fight Government Overreach

Protect Children's Innocence

The teacher unions are expected to substantially fund my opponent's campaign.  We need your support to restore academic excellence and prioritize safety and parental rights.

Sincere thanks for every single donation no matter how big or small. Your hard earned money will be put to good use for getting the word out: mailers, flyers, website and doorknocking. We can do this together!
DONATE

Protect Children's Innocence

The teacher unions are expected to substantially fund my opponent's campaign.  We need your support to restore academic excellence and prioritize safety and parental rights.

Sincere thanks for every single donation no matter how big or small. Your hard earned money will be put to good use for getting the word out: mailers, flyers, website and doorknocking. We can do this together!
DONATE

Protect Children's Innocence

The teacher unions are expected to substantially fund my opponent's campaign.  We need your support to restore academic excellence and prioritize safety and parental rights.

Sincere thanks for every single donation no matter how big or small. Your hard earned money will be put to good use for getting the word out: mailers, flyers, website and doorknocking. We can do this together!
DONATE
Success

Thank you! Form submitted successfully.

Each student is an individual Foster critical thinking Facilitate a respectful environment Accountability Students achieve fullest potential Empower parents' choices Promote diversity of thought
Each student is an individual Foster critical thinking Facilitate a respectful environment Accountability Students achieve fullest potential Empower parents' choices Promote diversity of thought