Kasey Mathews Named 2026 Kathy A. Krause Resource Room Teacher of the Year
Kasey Mathews, the LSEM resource room teacher at Immanuel Lutheran School in East Dundee, Illinois, has been named the inaugural winner of the Kathy A. Krause Resource Room Teacher of the Year award. Presented by Lutheran Special Education Ministries, the award recognizes the efforts of resource room teachers whose commitment to excellence, skill in the classroom, and love for their students, make them an asset to their school community and an inspiration to others in the field. Kasey will be presented with the award on Friday, May 22, 2026 during a end-of-year awards ceremony to be held at Immanuel Lutheran.
Kasey has been a teacher for fifteen years, and for the past seven years, she has served as the LSEM Resource Room teacher serving at Immanuel. Kasey earned a bachelor’s degree in regular/cross categorical special education at Carthage College, Kenosha, WI. She later earned her Master of Arts in Reading degree from Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois. Kasey is married to Tom Mathews, and they are the proud parents of two Shih Tzu children: Noche (14) and Leia (7).
In her nomination letter, Kasey was hailed as a teacher who “creates an environment where every child feels valued, capable, and welcomed. Through patience, creativity, and genuine care, [Kasey] helps students recognize their strengths and build confidence in their abilities, often celebrating even the smallest victories to help children feel successful.” The nominator goes on the say that “Parents are treated as true partners, and their concerns, questions, and insights are always welcomed and respected.”
Lutheran Special Education Ministries is an RSO of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Since 1873, LSEM has helped students overcome learning challenges. LSEM created this award in 2025 to recognize the efforts of resource room teachers in Chirstian schools. The award honors Kathy Krause, whose work over three decades in both public and Lutheran settings provided numerous blessings to the students, families, and teachers she served.