An all-around citizen of goodwill and contribution was named the 2019 Batavia Citizen of the Year this week. The Batavia Chamber of Commerce will honor Nanette ‘Nan’ Phillips Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 at the Chamber’s Inspire 2020: A Celebration of Those Who Inspire Us! annual awards event.
Batavia mayor Jeffery Schielke described her as a positive, upbeat person with “a progressive-thinking mindset that benefits whatever organization she’s working with. She offers continual insights into how to do things successfully.”
As a career educator, Nan’s contributions have been particularly impactful within the educational realm of Batavia. For more than 25 years, she served as the learning resource center at Louise White School in Batavia, and then at Hoover Wood School when the new elementary school opened in 2001. She retired in 2011. Prior to becoming an LRC director, Nan taught a couple of years at Louise White as a fifth grade teacher, followed by 12 years of teaching at McCleery Elementary in Aurora.
Her impact in the Batavia School District can best be exemplified by the deluge of letters sent by fellow educators in support of Nan’s nomination as Citizen of the Year. Fellow teacher Bobbie VonLunen, who worked with her for seven years, said Nan was “consistently a model of professionalism, leadership, and educational excellence.”
Time after time, authors of the supporting letters pointed out that the traits that endeared her to the educational community of students, parents, teachers, and fellow staff members, are those that make her an excellent volunteer in Batavia.
With education being a passion for Nan, it is logical that she would devote many volunteer hours helping groups that focus on education. The Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence (BFEE) is one such organization.
“Throughout my time as a learning resource teacher, I was a recipient of grants from this group,” Ms Phillips said. “Because I knew firsthand how these grants help a teacher or school program, it was natural that I spend time to help BFEE.”
She approached the group with her idea to create a Hall of Honor. The program honors accomplishments made by Batavia High School alumni, Batavia Public School District 101 staff members, and community members who have demonstrated excellence in their field and/or commitment to Batavia School District 101. Nan served as the chairperson for the BPS Hall of Honor Committee for three years. The inaugural BPS Hall of Honor was inducted in Fall 2015.
Another Batavia organization where Nan’s leadership skills have made an impression is the Batavia Woman’s Club. In letters supporting Nan as Citizen of the Year, several of her BWC peers touted the expertise Nan brought to her many positions within the club. Shortly after joining the club, she took on multiple leadership roles, including that of program chair and as a first vice president, where she assisted in rewriting the club’s bylaws.
Nan and her husband, Ray, have lived in Batavia since 1986. They are the parents of three children, Jill Marsh, Todd Phillips, and Lisa Cook, and grandparents of six boys and one girl.
In 2013, when she learned there were more than 40 children in Batavia Public Schools who were considered homeless, Joanne Spitz joined forces with Melinda Kintz to aid these families. Working directly with the School District, funds are raised to help pre-qualified students with food, clothing, bedding, moving, and prom dresses.
— Batavia Chamber of Commerce