WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Waynesville resident and former Waynesville R-6 School Superintendent Dr. Judene Blackburn will receive this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award during Missouri State University Alumni Association’s annual spring picnic for alumni and friends at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at the West Plains Civic Center exhibit hall.
The award recognizes a Missouri State University alumnus who has made extraordinary achievements in his or her personal and professional endeavors and has shown notable success in his/her profession or business, loyalty to the university and outstanding contributions to society.
“This is the second consecutive year we are recognizing an alum who is an educator,” said Missouri State-West Plains Director of Development Joe Kammerer. “Missouri State-West Plains is proud to be the first step for students to receive a degree in order to educate the next generation, inspire leaders and make a change for the better.”
Blackburn, a native of Eminence who attended the West Plains campus in 1979-80 and 1981-82, received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Missouri State University in 1986, her Master’s in Education Administration from Lincoln University in 1993, her Specialist’s in Education Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1996 and her Doctorate in Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2003.
She began her administrative career in education as middle school principal in the Strafford R-6 School District in 1997. In 1999, she became superintendent of the Halfway R-3 School District. She joined the Waynesville R-6 School District in 2003 as assistant superintendent for operations and became the district’s superintendent in 2006, a position she held until her retirement in June 2014.
As Waynesville’s superintendent, Blackburn served nearly 6,000 students in grades kindergarten through 12th from the Waynesville, St. Robert and Fort Leonard Wood communities, where military families make up the bulk of the population.
“With passion, she spoke not only on behalf of the district, but also for education on the state and national fronts, and particularly for the unique needs of the military child,” her nominator said. “She understood the importance of the military’s support, led national organizations serving military schools, and worked with Congress to ensure the support for military children continued at appropriate levels. To keep in touch with Fort Leonard Wood and the students who resided there, she served as the district’s liaison to the military.”
Because of her district’s unique relationship with the military, she served as a member of the Military Impacted Schools Association’s executive board, as state chair of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, and on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children, the latter of which was a gubernatorial appointment.
In addition, she was an active member of the American Association of School Administrators, the Missouri Association of School Administrators, the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce and the Pulaski County Rotary Club during her tenure at Waynesville. She received the Training and Doctrine Command Coin from the Fort Leonard Wood commanding general in 2009 and was named the New Superintendent of the Year-Southwest Region by the Missouri Association of School Administrators in 2003.
In the nomination for the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Blackburn was praised for her commitment to students. “Dr. Blackburn’s profound and deep appreciation for every student drove her daily as a leader, a teacher and a career-long student of learning. As a highly-regarded leader, she had a clear vision for the Waynesville R-6 School District – to improve the education for all students and drive them to achieve at their highest level. Her leadership was learning focused, and decisions were made in the best interests of the students. When evaluating a new initiative or growing an existing one, she first considered how it would help students reach their potential.
“She actively created, grew and developed a progressive education setting for students,” her nominator added. “She felt that it was her responsibility to understand and help facilitate the concepts she asked her educational staff to enact at the classroom level. As a career-long student, she understood the importance of staying current with new initiatives. She actively participated side-by-side with other district staff in professional development. By understanding the importance of her own personal growth, she set the tone for all district administrators to want to learn and lead in the same manner.
“In addition, she was known as a relationship-builder, one who actively engaged experts both within and outside the district to achieve the district’s goals,” the nominator continued. “By keeping her door open, both literally and figuratively, she put communication on the forefront of her daily agenda. Board of education members, administrators, teachers, staff, students, military and community leaders knew her, knew her values and highly respected her.”
By keeping an open mind to new ideas, Dr. Blackburn effectively managed the Waynesville School District, enabling it to achieve new levels of success that are only possible by taking risks and being at the forefront of education, her nominator added. “To reach these levels, she actively accepted criticism and evaluated concepts to determine the absolute best approach. For her, it was not about who may be right or wrong, it was about grasping the best ideas and cohesively formulating them into the most successful educational programs. As a result, the best systems to support the work of the district were built and put into place over time, falling into place naturally and comfortably.”
The annual picnic is free and open to all Missouri State University alumni and friends; however, reservations should be made prior to the event, organizers said. For more information or to make reservations, call the Missouri State-West Plains development office at 417-255-7240.