Lead School Nurse Lisa Sabatino to Recieve 2026 Stan Schaeffer Education Community Leadership Award
Posted Date: 10/15/26 (10:20 AM)
Collinsville Community Collaboration (C3) has announced Lisa Sabatino, lead school nurse for Collinsville Community Unit School District #10, was chosen to receive the 2026 Stan Schaeffer Education Community Leadership Award.
C3 is a partnership between the City of Collinsville, Collinsville Chamber of Commerce and Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 to recognize excellence in community and public service.
Since 2018, the C3 Awards have been held annually to recognize organizations and individuals for their outstanding contributions to the community. This year’s awards dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2026 at the Gateway Center in Collinsville.
The Stan Schaeffer Education Community Leadership Award was established to honor the late Stan Schaeffer, retired educator and former mayor of Collinsville. The award is given to an employee within CUSD 10 who has gone above and beyond in the field of education resulting in a positive impact on the greater Collinsville community.
Recipients of the Schaeffer award must be leaders and good role models in CUSD 10 who work to further education, take initiative to help others and create positive change within the Collinsville community.
Lisa Sabatino earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She worked for eight years as a registered nurse in a hospital setting providing pre- and post-op surgical care. She also served as a charge nurse, nurse educator and CPR instructor.
She obtained the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Professional Educator License with a Certified School Nurse (PEL-CSN) endorsement from SIUE. The PEL-CSN is legally required for specialized education roles such as completing health assessments for special education casework, writing Individualized Education Program (IEP) health components and teaching health classes.
Nurse Lisa became a certified school nurse for Collinsville CUSD 10 in August 1997. She serves as the district’s lead nurse, as well as school nurse at John Renfro Elementary School.
Director of Special Education Alison Underwood, who oversees student health programs for the district, nominated Sabatino for the award.
“Nurse Lisa is the standard of excellence in school health leadership. She’s an extraordinary leader who doesn’t just keep our district compliant, but elevates our entire school community,” according to Underwood. “From navigating complex state mandates to mentoring her nursing team with grace, she acts as an unwavering advocate for every student and an innovative, trusted resource for our staff and families.”
In addition to her work as a certified school nurse, Nurse Lisa is also a nurse educator, certified hearing and vision screening technician, certified CPR instructor and volunteer with the Madison County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
Her commitment to sharing life-saving information in the school district helps protect the health and well-being of the community-at-large.
Nurse Lisa has been a CPR instructor for over 30 years. Each year she offers multiple CPR/AED, first aid and Stop the Bleed sessions to staff. A few years ago, she initiated a program to equip students and their families with life-saving skills.
“I established a community outreach CPR certification program where parents and students fourth grade and older can learn life-saving skills together," she says. “These skills are good for everyone to learn, but especially for our students who might be babysitting, applying for jobs or completing college applications.”
In 2006, she initiated an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program within the district. This program has progressed to include 32 AEDs in both academic and athletic areas. Her foresight resulted in a successful resuscitation in 2011.
As part of her district responsibilities, Nurse Lisa oversees the day-to-day operations of district health and medical programs. She recently established building-level Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERT) and protocols for stock medications per ISBE and Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines.
She participates in the district’s Help and Response Team (HART) program that provides mental health and emotional support in a crisis, as well as the wellness committee, mentor program and Student Assistance Program (SAP) teams.
During the H1N1 and COVID-19 health crises, she guided CUSD 10 health staff through state safety protocols, community education, and testing and vaccination efforts. She also volunteered early to receive and administer vaccinations. She made hand washing videos and other tools to help students understand the importance of staying healthy.
Over the years, Nurse Lisa has mentored numerous student nurses in undergraduate, post-graduate and degree completion programs from several universities, including SIUE, McKendree University and University of Illinois Chicago.
“My passion for school nursing lies in educating students and staff, and finding resources for families,” she says.
Nurse Lisa is always looking for ways to help families access care and lead safer, healthier lives. She is especially proud of the partnership CUSD 10 has with Eye Thrive and Dental Safari to provide eye exams, glasses and dental care at school.
“Nurse Lisa is a consummate professional who takes great pride in making sure our students receive the best possible care every day,” said Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich. “She also works hard to ensure our health staff have the latest information, proper equipment and ongoing training needed to care for students from all walks of life. Her commitment to student health, staff development, and the well-being of every child makes her an invaluable member of our Kahok Family.”
Lisa Sabatino has been married for 37 years. She and her husband have a son and daughter who are both grown and married, and a young granddaughter. She plans to retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year after 30 years as a school nurse, but will not stop serving the community.
“I will continue to use my certifications to teach adult/child/infant and pet CPR, and to screen hearing and vision. I’m looking forward to spending more quality time with my family,” she says.
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