WyAnn Northrop is the life skills special ed teacher here at Big Sky. But she is more than that in the eyes of her students, she’s a friend, a role model, and someone they look up to. She is also a hero in the eyes of one particular person who helped her figure out this is what she wanted to do with her life. She wouldn’t change it for the world.

Sun Journal: What is your job at Big Sky?

WyAnn Northrop: I’m a life skills special ed teacher and I also teach an exceptionalities class for the general ed kids.

Sun Journal: What made you choose to take this job?

WyAnn Northrop: When I was young, my little brother was born and he had a physical handicap. And when he was growing up he was bullied a lot so I learned to advocate for him early on and I like to think I was his champion when he was growing up and I just knew I wanted to work with people with disabilities.

Sun Journal: What is your favorite part of the job ?

WyAnn Northrop:The kids.

Sun Journal: What do you find most rewarding about this job and working with the kids ?

WyAnn Northrop: I think one of the things I find most rewarding is the genuine-ness and the realness of the kids, and that it doesn’t always have to be big things. Little things or baby steps can mean the world to someone.

Sun Journal: What is your favorite part about working in your program and here at Big Sky?

WyAnn Northrop: Here at Big Sky the people. I consider colleagues and friends being one of the most important parts of the job at the school. I think we have amazing administration right now and the support and encouragement that they offer us is amazing. And in my program my colleagues and my co-teachers, Matt, Shelby, Jeff, and the paras who we couldn’t do the job without.

Sun Journal: What would you say is the best part of the job?

WyAnn Northrop: It is never boring. My days go by and they’re always filled with something.

Sun Journal: If you could, would you ever go back and not taken this job?

WyAnn Northrop: No. I love this job. I’ve been teaching kids with special needs for 40 years and I’m not burned out. Some days I’m tired, but it’s not the kids it’s the paperwork that is more tiresome. But I think if you can keep a job for 40 years and still like coming to work, I think you picked right.