WESTFIELD — The Rotary Club of Westfield is accepting nominations for the 31st Annual Charles Philhower Fellowship Award, which recognizes an outstanding full-time educator in grades Pre-K through 5 in the Westfield Public Schools. Additionally, the Rotary Club is accepting nominations for the Second Annual Weyman Steengrafe Award to recognize full-time employees of the Westfield Public Schools who are not certified teachers. The deadline to submit a nomination for both awards is Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Westfield Public Schools district staff members, parents, students and members of the Westfield community are invited to complete an online form to nominate for the Philhower Award an educator who is a full-time faculty member in grades Pre-K to 5 in the Westfield Public Schools and who is not a former Philhower Fellow.
Nominations should specify ways in which the teacher has demonstrated outstanding teaching, interest in children, and continued pursuit of professional growth. A list of previous Philhower Fellows, along with a link to the online form, is posted under “News” at www.westfieldnjk12.org.
With teachers in Pre-K through 12 eligible for annual recognition from the Rotary Club, Optimist Club and the Westfield High School educator awards, the Steengrafe Award was established by the Rotary Club to recognize additional full-time employees who have worked for the district for at least five years and who have demonstrated a clear commitment to the students and staff of the Westfield Public Schools.
Employees eligible to be nominated include secretaries, paraprofessionals and staff members in the technology and buildings and grounds departments as well as members of district administration. Members of the school community may complete an online form to nominate an employee. The form and a list of previous Steengrafe Fellows also is available under “News” at www.westfieldnjk12.org.
Both fellowship recipients will be honored at a Westfield Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 21, and at a Rotary luncheon as well. The Philhower and Steengrafe Fellows also will receive a Rotary grant to further professional growth or to enhance classroom activities for students.
The Philhower Award was established in 1993 by the Rotary Club of Westfield to recognize the importance of teaching in the elementary grades and to honor Westfield Rotarian and School Superintendent Charles Philhower. Mr. Philhower, who died in 1962, was supervising principal (superintendent) of Westfield Public Schools for 30 years, from 1917 to 1947. He served as president of the Westfield Rotary Club from 1929 to 1930 and as district governor during 1937 and 1938. As Rotary president, he instituted the club’s annual scholarship awards to graduating Westfield students.
The Steengrafe Fellowship was established in memory of Weyman O. Steengrafe, who died in 2010. Mr. Steengrafe began teaching social studies in the Westfield Public Schools in 1942 before serving as principal at Franklin, Tamaques and Wilson Elementary Schools. He was a lifelong Rotarian from 1966 to 2010, serving as club president from 1971 to 1972 and district governor in 1985 and 1986.
