Sun Journal: What led you to the position you’re in today working here at Big Sky High School?

Mr. Schlimgen: When I student taught here, I worked with one of the adaptive PE classes, and I had never worked with special kids before. I had a lot of fun, it was different, it was challenging. I subbed here for a while and then a permanent position became open and I took it.

Sun Journal: When you were student-teaching before, what was the subject you wanted to teach?

Mr. Schlimgen: Health and PE was what I was student teaching in.

Sun Journal: What made you decide to join the staff at Big Sky?

Mr. Schlimgen: When I student taught I liked the staff that was here–a lot of them are still here but just the overall sense of community at Big Sky I enjoyed. I really enjoyed the students, just the overall feel of Big Sky, I grew up in central Montana and it reminded me of my high school.

Sun Journal: What do you like to do outside of school?

Mr. Schlimgen:I hunt, I fish, I hike, I do pretty much everything outdoors in Montana, primarily outdoors. I worked as a mountain guide for a number of years so I enjoy climbing, too, I don’t do as much of it.

Sun Journal: Where did you work as a guide?

Mr. Schlimgen: Mount Rainier, and Mount McKinley as well. I lived right by the west entrance to Mount Rainier, so I enjoyed working up there.