Meet the Teachers
Contact Info:
Lori Dierks
Lori Dierks
I began working at ISD 743 as a special education teacher at the beginning of the 2nd quarter of the 23-24 school year. I am familiar with the district as I was the previous special education coordinator at West Central Education District, which ISD 743 is a member district of.
Contact Info:
Savanna Patrias
Savanna Patrias
Hello, I am Savanna Patrias. I grew up here in Sauk Centre. After graduating high school, I went on to the University of Minnesota Duluth where I obtained teaching licenses in both Elementary Education and Special Education. I am married to Nick, and we live in Alexandria, MN. I enjoy spending time outdoors both hiking and the lake. In the classroom, I love helping students grow and find success. It feels great to be back in the Home of the Mainstreeters.
Contact Info:
Jason Schultz
Jason Schultz
Hello, I am Jason Schultz. I grew up in Osakis, MN and graduated from Osakis High School in 1997. I received a Bachelor's Degree in Elective Studies from SCSU (2003) and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary teaching from Bemidji State in 2020. When not in the classroom, you will find me working at my two other jobs which are: construction and an EMT for North Memorial Ambulance (Alexandria region). I live in Osakis with my wife Renee, and two children, Alayna (Class of 2028), and Easton (Class of 2030). In my spare time you can find me traveling with family, golfing, hunting, or fishing.
Contact Info:
Ashley Thompson
Ashley Thompson
Hello, my name is Ashley Thompson. I graduated from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School in 2006. While attending St. Cloud State University (SCSU) I discovered my passion for teaching. I graduated from SCSU in 2010 with a Bachelors of Science in Special Education. I began my teaching career in Big Lake where I taught elementary special education. Afterwards, I taught for 3 years in Little Falls as a special education evaluation teacher. I started teaching at Sauk Centre Elementary in 2016. I live near Sauk Centre with my husband, stepdaughter and 2 dogs. I enjoy spending time with my family, fishing, camping, and four-wheeling. I look forward to the many new adventures of teaching here at Sauk Centre Elementary.
Contact Info:
Lori Uphoff
Lori Uphoff
My name is Lori Uphoff. I grew up in Sauk Centre. I earned my special education degree in 2005 from St. Cloud State University in the area of Developmental Cognitive Disabilities. I completed my Masters in Education from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2010. In 2013 I added Autism to my licensure. I am married to Kevin and we have three amazing girls Megan, Abigail and Hannah. In my free time I enjoy stamping, scrap booking, spending time with my family and going to the lake. My goal as a teacher is to help my students become as independent as possible.