Staff Spotlight: Sally Heppner Building Trust with Families

This post is part of the Lynden Schools Staff Spotlight series

The relationships a teacher has extend far beyond the students in a classroom during any given school year. For Sally Heppner, a second-grade teacher at Isom Elementary, those relationships encompass students throughout the district and families of students taught for generations. 

The Role

Heppner came to Lynden in 1996, debuting in the district as a first-grade teacher. Since that time, she has taught kindergarten, first grade and, now, second grade. “What I appreciate most about my current role is the many ways I get to build relationships,” she says. “I love having the opportunity to work with my second-grade students and their families. Watching them grow in their knowledge and gain confidence in their skills makes my job rewarding.” 

Over the years, Heppner has worked with multiple siblings from the same family, helping build trust and creating positive learning opportunities for the students. 

Those connections don’t stop after second grade. Heppner says she loves collaborating with colleagues and future educators. Heppner partners with Stacey Anderson’s Careers in Education class at Lynden High School, a highlight of hers that she hopes encourages LHS graduates to enter the field of education so the Lynden community can continue to benefit from the next generation of leaders giving back to their community. 

Getting to Know Sally

Connecting to the community has long been a part of Heppner’s goals. When she first graduated, her and husband Brian aspired to come back to Lynden and serve in the community they grew up in, she says. They have since raised three boys in Lynden. Watching them participate in sports has kept Heppner involved behind the scenes, whether helping with team dinners for Lynden High athletic teams, youth camps, after-school events at Isom, trips to Disney or leading Bible studies. She’s also been involved in the Northwest Washington Fair for as long as she can remember, helping her family with their Belgian draft horses. 

“We hope to continue building relationships and serving the community in the future,” Heppner says, “whatever that may be.”