Jefferson Elementary School 2nd grade teacher Dawn Donahue is the 2025 recipient of the Rotary Club of Westfield’s Philhower Fellowship in recognition of outstanding teaching at the elementary school level. At the same time, McKinley Elementary School secretary Joan Penczak received the Steengrafe Award, introduced two years ago by the Rotary Club to recognize non-certificated staff for their dedication and commitment.
Donahue and Penczak received the news on May 5 as Superintendent Dr. Raymond González paid surprise visits to their schools.
“On behalf of the Board of Education and the entire school district, I congratulate Mrs. Donahue and Mrs. Penczak on this well-deserved honor from the Rotary Club,” says González. “Their dedication to our students and passion for education inspire us all.”
Donahue is in her 10th year of teaching at Jefferson, 8 years in 2nd grade.
“Jefferson is my happy place. I am lucky that I get to spend each day surrounded by my beautiful students. I love creating a positive social-emotional community of learners where everyone belongs, feels important and safe enough to work toward their academic hopes and dreams,” says Donahue. “As a teacher I have the opportunity to self-reflect and learn from mentors and coworkers who help me to foster my professional development. Teaching truly is a work of heart and thanks to the Jefferson community, my heart is full.”
Letters of nomination for Donahue from parents laud her as an “enthusiastic, committed, and hard-working” educator who “prepares her students for the real world, builds confidence in the learner’s abilities, and encourages them to succeed.”
“With her classroom adorned with student work, her upbeat attitude, and her rich understanding of literate habits, she is the Mary Poppins of the classroom setting,” writes one parent nominator.
Another parent nominator noted that “in Mrs. Donahue’s class, the students were treated as family and each student had a voice.”
“Mrs. Donahue taught, cared for, and respected each student by listening to their ideas, providing support or solutions when necessary, and taking the time to make each student feel valued,” adds this parent.
For more than a decade, Penczak has worked as the head secretary at McKinley.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent the past fourteen years at McKinley School,” says Penczak. “It’s been a true privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and deeply caring staff, a supportive PTO, and the wonderful families who make the McKinley community so special.”
Colleagues who nominated Penczak for the Steengrafe Award described her as “100% committed to the staff and students,” “the heart and soul of McKinley,” and “the heartbeat of our school.”
“Joan has a natural ability to connect with people on a personal level,” writes one nominator. “Her compassionate approach makes her someone everyone can rely on. She truly embodies what it means to be a dedicated, kind, and supportive member of the school community.”
“I’ve seen Joan help solve every possible problem with the same positive energy,” writes another colleague. “Whether it’s a copier that seems to malfunction a hundred times a day or when I’ve forgotten to order science supplies until the last minute, Joan is always there to lend a hand,” writes another colleague who adds that Penczak’s “ability to listen, offer help, and keep everything running smoothly creates such a welcoming environment for students and staff alike.”
Donahue and Penczak will be recognized at a Board of Education meeting on May 20. They will receive the Philhower and Steengrafe Awards on June 3 as guests of honor during a Rotary Club luncheon.
Three Rotarians and two elementary school principals served on the nominating committee.
The Philhower Fellowship was established in 1993 by the Rotary Club to honor former Westfield Rotarian Charles Philhower and to recognize the importance of teaching in the elementary grades. An educator for more than 50 years, Charles Philhower, who died in 1962, was supervising principal (superintendent) of Westfield schools for three decades as well as co-founder and past president of the Rotary Club of Westfield.
In its third year, the Steengrafe Fellowship was established in memory of Weyman O. Steengrafe who began teaching Social Studies in the Westfield Public Schools in 1942 before serving as principal at Franklin, Tamaques, and Wilson Elementary Schools. Weyman was a lifelong Rotarian from 1966-2010, serving as Club President in 1971-1972 and District Governor in 1985-1986.
