Mrs. Lisa Heemtra is the Band Director at Bednarcik Junior High School where she instructs the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Beginning Band and Jazz Band Mrs. Heemstra has been at Bednarcik Junior High School since the doors opened in the fall of 2002. Prior to teaching at Bednarcik, Mrs. Heemstra was the assistant band director at Oswego High School from 2000-2001 and the assistant band director at Thompson Junior High School 2001-2002. This will be her 21st year in the Oswego School District.

Mrs. Heemstra is a native of Lansing, IL and received her Bachelor of Music Education Degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Heemstra was awarded the “Distinguished Alumni Award” from VanderCook in 2000. Along with her academic endeavors, Mrs. Heemstra has performed duties for organizations including Bands of America, Illinois Music Educators Association and Midwest International Band & Orchestra Conference. She is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and Illinois Music Educators Association. She is also the recipient of the “Outstanding Private Teacher of the Year Award”-1999 from Memorial Junior High School, Lansing, Illinois. Mrs. Heemstra just received in the summer of 2005 her Masters in Music Education Degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Mrs. Heemstra lives in Aurora with her daughter Isabella and Pomsky, Tiana.