Lori Ulrikson has been an educator for 30 years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

new chapter

Retirement on the horizon as Ulriksen enjoys her final days at Gordon Denny

Jun 18, 2021 | 1:20 PM

In the 30 years Lori Ulriksen has been a teacher, she’s had the opportunity to watch her former students grow up and have children who ultimately find a desk in her classroom too.

“I really enjoyed that continued connection,” she said. “I’ve loved my time teaching and have been truly appreciative of the family and parental support over my years in the North.”

Ulriksen was born in Saskatoon, but spent the majority of her childhood living in Uranium City until Grade 8. She graduated high school in 1986 and earn a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan in 1990. After three years at La Loche’s Ducharme Elementary School and another year in Saskatoon, Ulriksen landed a position at Air Ronge’s Gordon Denny Community School in 1994 and remained there until her retirement this June.

“It was pretty fun and when I was at La Loche, it was really rewarding those first three years,” she said. “Every year I did a weeklong trip. I took the kids to Saskatoon and we fundraised all year. It was really good memories in La Loche.”

During her many years at Gordon Denny, Ulriksen taught Grades 1 to 4 with some split classes. She also spent some time in the literacy/numeracy position, which she teamed up with fellow teacher Shivaun Cassidy to do for several years.

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“One of us would teach half a day and the other one was in the literacy/numeracy position,” Ulriksen said. “We always said that’s when we learned the very, very most because we learned from each other. Every day, we would discuss every possible thing that happened to a kid or where they are having trouble learning.”

When Ulriksen first began teaching, she explained there was more theme-based learning and less of an emphasis on testing. She said there was more freedom in those early years.

Ulriksen has always enjoyed incorporating dance, music and instruments into her lesson plans. She mentioned there wasn’t as much joy in her classroom this year because she wasn’t able to do much of that due to COVID restrictions.

“It’s not really the big, magnificent things you do that make the biggest difference with teaching kids and helping them learn,” she said. “It’s the hard work you do every day and that you are consistent with those things that make the biggest difference, like the routines, the procedures. Sometimes it’s kind of boring and you don’t want to do it, but sticking with it every day is what makes the biggest difference.”

Ulriksen loved her time teaching at Gordon Denny and said she never aspired to become a principal, teach at a new school or pursue a position at the school division’s head office. She enjoyed walking to and from home to Gordon Denny and the sense of community she felt.

In retirement, Ulriksen plans to do some camping this summer and then visit a brother living in the United States when the border reopens. She wants to do some painting, as well as relax and unwind.

“I’m not saying I’ll never sub, but for the first while I just want to clear my mind,” Ulriksen said.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno