Special Education teacher Juan Yanez of Derby, Kansas, succumbed to Covid-19 in Feb., 2021. Photo credit: Derby Informer.

Sadly we report the passing of yet another beloved educator who has succumbed to Covid-19. Juan Yanez, a Special Education teacher in Derby, Kansas, succumbed to the disease in February, 2021.

For nine years, the beloved educator had been a teacher at Oaklawn Elementary School in the Derby Pubic School District located in Wichita, Kansas. Previously he had taught at Wineteer Elementary and Pleasantview Elementary.

Colleague Joe Addis described Juan as someone who “definitely, really cared about kids. That really showed in everything that he did,” Addis said. “He just worked hard to build connections with the students that he worked with. That was something that always really impressed me about him,” Addis remembered. He said also observed Juan’s teaching style, commenting that the fallen educator used his sense of humor and his genuine passion to make connections with students. “He did a lot of really good incentive work, I thought, with students to really help them be encouraged to come to the room and give their best, Addis concluded.

Juan’s compassion for youngsters with special needs extended to adults with special needs as well. In early March, 2020, before the pandemic caused nationwide shut-downs, Juan and fellow Special Education teacher Jennifer Nulik organized a community service project at Pleasantview Elementary School. The project was designed to provide employment resources and opportunities for special needs students and adults. The project was part of Juan’s course work in his Master’s program at Wichita State University. The effort resulted n the First Annual Tri-County Career/Resources Fair. To read more about the event, see this article published by the Derby Informer.