Lisa Van Hefty, Mishicot special education teacher, named a Wisconsin Teacher of the Year

AI-assisted summary
• Mishicot special education teacher Lisa Van Hefty has been named one of five 2026 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year.
• Each winner will receive a $3,000 award and one will be chosen to represent Wisconsin in a national program.

MISHICOT – Mishicot special education teacher Lisa Van Hefty was among five instructors recently named Teacher of the Year by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

She was honored during a surprise ceremony last week.

“Van Hefty had dedicated the past 27 years to serving as a special education teacher at O.H. Schultz Elementary School,” a news release from DPI said. “Throughout her career, she has been a champion for inclusive education and student advocacy, building strong, meaningful connections with her students, families and colleagues. Van Hefty is widely recognized for creating nurturing, student-centered learning environments that foster growth, independence and confidence.”

Each Teacher of the Year will receive a $3,000 award from the Herb Kohl Education Foundation. One of the five educators will also be selected through an interview process to represent Wisconsin in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year program.

Other winners for this year include the following:

• Mark Acherman, science teacher at Darlington Elementary/Middle School in the Darlington Community School District;
• Joel Coyne, business education teacher at Sun Prairie East High School in the Sun Prairie Area School District;
• Megan Dixon, second-grade teacher at Glenwood Elementary School in the Greenfield School District; and
• Toni Fink, second-grade teacher at Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School in the Milwaukee Public School District.

“It’s a privilege to recognize these five extraordinary educators as our 2026 Wisconsin Teachers of the Year,” state school superintendent Jill Underly said in the release. “Their dedication to their students, colleagues and communities is a true testament to the power of education.”

Contact reporter Patti Zarling at pzarling@gannett.com or call 920-606-2575. Follow her on X @PGPattiZarling, on Instagram @PGPatti and Bluesky @PGPatti.