Meet Lori Justesen: Elementary Special Education Long-term Substitute Teacher – Lori Justesen grew up in Valley City and is a proud VCHS graduate! She attended VSCU, obtaining a degree in Elementary Education. From there, she began her career teaching first grade at Cooperstown, ND, spending six years there before teaching Kindergarten at Barnes County North for one year.

Mrs. Justesen then went on to continue her education at Moorhead State, obtaining a licensure in Learning Disabilities and later adding additional licensures including Emotional Disturbance and Intellectually Delayed. For the next 25 years, she worked for the Sheyenne Valley Special Education Unit before retiring in 2017.

In 2021, Lori and her husband moved to Litchville, ND to be closer to their farm. Together they have 5 grown children: Aaron, Alyssa, Trevor, Tiffannie and Tarryn; and 3 grandchildren: Jordy (5), Greyson (2) and Lennyn (19 months), all of whom they thoroughly enjoy spending time with!

The best part of retirement, she says, has been the flexibility that it provides to do things that she enjoys. In the summer she likes to golf and spend time at the lake, and in the winter, she likes to head south to Arizona to enjoy the warm weather and more golf!

Mrs. Justesen is “excited for the opportunity to be back in the classroom working with some awesome students and staff at Oakes Elementary! Go Tornadoes!” We are excited to have you here, too, Mrs. Justensen! Welcome!