Mrs. Phillips Remembered
This year's holiday season came and went in much the same manner as in years gone by: the hustle and bustle of shopping, friends greeting friends, the counting of our blessings, and the opportunity to once again take the time to acknowledge the people who have made a difference in our lives. The joyful festivities this year, however, were tempered by the profound sorrow many of us felt over the loss of one extraordinary and remarkable human being: someone who not only made a difference in my life, but in the lives of so many children, including my own.
Sara Phillips was an extraordinary and remarkably gifted educator who left an undeniable and indelible legacy over the 30 years she taught, motivated, guided and inspired first graders in La Cañada. While her wry sense of humor transcended math into "Toothy Twos," she was much more serious about imparting to her students the sacredness of books and the importance of the rain forests. Her students would also find her standards high, her discipline consistent and her faith in their potential unshakeable. As the years passed, I often observed her "alumni" students home from college return to her classroom to share memories and express gratitude to the teacher who had played such an important role in their lives. She would become a legendary teacher at Paradise Canyon Elementary, also serving as an invaluable mentor to younger teachers who marveled at her unwavering commitment to instill in each and every child a life-long love of learning.
