ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 22, 1996 TAG: 9602220004
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Judy Rutherford
Occupation: Director of Student Services for Montgomery County Schools
Age: "No comment!"
Family: Married to Charles, a biology professor at Virginia Tech; mother of two grown boys, Mark and Matt
Hometown: Carbandale, Ill.
Last book read: "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," by Stephen Covey
Hobbies: Reading, shopping for antiques, travel
First job out of college: English and history teacher in an Illinois high school
Ideal day off: A day without chores or obligations. "It'd be nice to have time for reflection," she said. "I don't often take time for me."
Best school year: Third grade with Rose Garivaldi. "She let me know that she thought I was bright. She challenged me to be more involved."
Program she's most proud of: Establishing guidance counselors in the elementary schools. "I was able to hire such an exceptional group of counselors and work with them on the curriculum ... It's one of the things I look back on with a lot of pride."
Describing Judy Rutherford's job in 10 words or less is like trying to count all the various groups of people she touches. It almost can't be done.
"Student services" is an umbrella term for just about every education program besides the typical K-12 school day: Adult literacy, health services, counseling, summer school, grant writing, alternative education programs, discipline policy, preschool education, drop-out prevention.
It's a lot to juggle, she concedes, but she tries to provide a chance to learn for every age and all kinds of situations.
A big fan of learning, Rutherford has two master's degrees - one in history from the College of William and Mary and another in education from Virginia Tech.
She's back at Tech a few nights each week getting her doctorate in a new nontraditional program called School Leaders. She joins other area educators - including Kipps Elementary School Principal Ray Van Dyke - to work on school research and reform.
Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, Rutherford said children have a much more difficult time trying to learn in today's society.
"Learning is one of many life activities and it can be impaired by so many other things," she said.
Through the programs she oversees, Rutherford tries to make sure that even in the toughest conditions, families get the opportunity to learn.
Last year, she won an Excellence in Education Award for establishing a tutoring program at the Radford Women's Resource Center for children who are homeless or mothers who are victims of domestic violence.
Education doesn't stop at age 18, she said. The adult education programs, which started out as a few basic courses, now include day and night courses in churches and work sites across the county.
"Education should be cradle to grave," she said. "Public schools should be about serving all ages." BYLINE} LISA APPLEGATE
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Last year, Judy Rutherford won an Excellence inby CNBEducation Award for establishing a tutoring program at the Radford
Women's Resource Center for children who are homeless or mothers who
are victims of domestic violence. GENE DALTON/STAFF