Laura Hastings

Laura Hastings has extensive experience in special education, currently serving as a Special Education Teacher and Case Manager for Kindergarten through second grade at Champaign Unit 4 Schools since June 2005. Hastings has also been recognized with the 2019 Classroom Professional Award from The Chasing Hope Foundation. Prior roles include Early Childhood Special Education Teacher for Pre-Kindergarten students in Urbana School District 116 and Program and Facility Director at Urbana Park District, where responsibilities included overseeing various programs and facilities. In addition, Hastings has teaching experience as an instructor in lifelong learning at Parkland Community College and served as a Graduate Assistant at Southern Illinois University. Educational credentials include a Master's in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor's in Recreation Administration from Eastern Illinois University.