Catherine Lestina, Carl Sandburg Middle School

It is with great pride that we recognize Catherine Lestina, a special education teacher at Carl Sandburg Middle School, as this month’s Above and Beyond honoree. Catherine recently earned her National Board Certification in the area of Exceptional Needs Specialist/Early Childhood through Young Adult—an incredible accomplishment that reflects her deep expertise, unwavering commitment, and passion for advancing student success.

National Board Certification is considered the “gold standard” in teacher certification. This voluntary, rigorous process requires educators to demonstrate distinguished practice across multiple domains, including content knowledge, instructional design, differentiation, use of data and assessments, and continuous reflection.

Through a performance-based, peer-reviewed series of components, Catherine successfully demonstrated the National Board’s Five Core Propositions and rigorous standards of teaching excellence. Her certification reflects her dedication to meeting the unique and diverse needs of her students, and her commitment to elevating the teaching profession.

Catherine’s achievement is not only a personal milestone—it is a source of pride for the entire District 15 community. We are grateful for her leadership, her dedicated support of students with exceptional needs, and her contributions to the culture of excellence at Carl Sandburg Middle School.

Please join us in congratulating Catherine on this tremendous professional accomplishment. Her dedication, perseverance, and example truly embody what it means to go Above and Beyond.