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ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Judy Newman

MY COMMITMENT

My personal commitment to public education is rooted in my family’s core. My children attended and graduated from 4J schools.  
Many of my family members are educators-- my father, my husband, my son, my son-in-law, my daughter-in-law and my stepson.
As an educator here in Lane County, I have dedicated my career to providing quality education to young children of our community.  I co-founded and co-directed the Early Childhood CARES program through the University of Oregon for birth to 5 year old children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. For over 40   years, we helped over 40,000 children acquire the skills to succeed in school. Our program has been recognized nationally and throughout Oregon, as a model for educating children with developmental delays and disabilities, and supporting their families. 
 

We are living in a polarized world and many of us are feeling stressed by the uncertainty and the changes.  We need leaders who listen with an open mind and heart, who provide support and understanding, and who take action.  I am committed to be that kind of a leader.


Experience

  • I am completing my second term on the Eugene 4J School Board.​

  • I have successfully advocated for education funding and policies at the state for decades. 

  • I have 45 years of experience in education with a strong focus on early learning and special education.

  • I Co-founded Early Childhood CARES in 1991 and Co-directed it for 30 years.  It is a public education program that has served over 40,000 children with special needs and their families. 

  • I have been on the faculty at the University of Oregon’s College of Education for over 40 years and have taught Special Education and Disability Law to graduate and licensure students.

  • I have been a leader for 30 years in developing early learning systems at local, state, and national levels. I helped establish the Early Childhood Hub of Lane County, our regional hub of early learning services, and currently I am the strategic advisor to the Early Childhood Hub.

  • I have extensive experience establishing partnerships with health care services, social services, the business community, higher education, and people with lived experience to solve community problems.

Leadership

  • I have served on many local Boards:  United Way of Lane County  (10 years); ShelterCare (10 years); Connected Lane County; (10 years); System of Care Executive Committee (8 years); Early Childhood Hub Governance Consortium(15 years);State Interagency Coordination Council (12 years); Autism Commission of Oregon (4 years); Oregon Developmental Disability Council (6 years).​

  •     I have been honored to receive recognition for my work:   Oregon’s State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Service Award in 2001;  Elisabeth Waechter Award, Pearl Buck Center in 2007; Educational Excellence Award from the College of Education, UO in 2008; Sylvia Mann Capper Award from the Arc of Oregon in 2009; Community Voice Award from United Way of Lane County in 2014;  Champion for Children Award from Parenting Now Oregon in 2016; Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arc of Lane County in 2019.

“Judy is a collaborative and effective educational leader.  She has done a wonderful job on school board.  She always considers the needs of students, families and staff when making decisions.  Keep Judy on the school board!”
-Alicia Hayes, Former 4J School Board Member

Eugene Schools

Eugene is a great community that values our public schools and our children. I have loved raising my children and grandchildren here. I have loved working in this community  and meeting and partnering  with so many wonderful people AND I want to support our wonderful public schools and community.


Currently, our schools are facing unprecedented attacks from the new federal administration. The administration is attacking equality of opportunity, and funding for our children most in need.  Teachers are rightfully worried about their basic free speech and book censorship, and families are rightfully worried about aggressive immigration crack downs, even when they are here completely legally.  


Ultimately the administration wants to take away public school funding and give it to private schools, under the practice of “vouchers”.   


We need leaders who will stand up strongly and oppose these actions.  
Despite these attacks we must continue to commit to academic excellence and success for all children.  We must give our children the hope and skills to break the cycles of poverty, discrimination, and lack of opportunity.  And we need to support our educators amidst these great pressures. 


We are about to hire a new permanent superintendent to lead our District.  We need to ensure that the new superintendent has the support and partnership of a strong and stable school board and leadership as well as a well supported, high quality and stable staff throughout the district.  I want to continue to serve on the school board to ensure a successful hire and transition.



I’m running for school board to bring my lifetime of professional and personal experience in early childhood and special education and leadership to the broader challenges facing our district.  Schools are at the heart of a community and a place where all children, youth, and families should be welcome and safe.   Schools need to create opportunities for every child. That is my vision for 4J.

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