LOCAL INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PIONEER, BARBARA J. NEWMAN PASSES AWAY Barbara J. Newman, author, Henry J. Nouwen Award winner, and former Zeeland Christian School Director of Inclusion passed away on Friday, September 18. Mrs. Newman has been battling cancer for the last four months. Mrs. Newman was instrumental in establishing the first inclusive education program in the United States at Zeeland Christian in 1989. While the conversations and decisions to begin this work were had before she came, Barb quickly became its champion as one of the first two teachers who supported classrooms and trained teachers on how to make sure every student was included. The beautiful aspect of this model which Barb (and others) quickly realized is that when everyone belongs, the puzzle is complete. In her article celebrating the 30 year anniversary of Inclusive Education at ZCS Barb remarked,
We became one giant I Corinthians 12 team – and there was no way the eye would ever say to the hand “I don’t need you.” There was a desire to be able to say to parents who chose Christian education for all of their children, “we are the ‘body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.’” ZCS Head of School, Tim McAboy, has seen his leadership grow thanks to Barb’s influence. “For years I served in Christian schools that made little attempt to meet the needs of all children. I knew little of inclusion when I met Barb at my first interview for ZCS in the winter of 2017. She told me, “If you’re willing to learn, I’m willing to teach you.” When I visited during her final days, I took her your notes and a note I wrote on one of the puzzle pieces. I wrote, “Thanks for showing me how my piece fits in the puzzle.” We were all students of Barb.”
Barb spent her entire career advocating for students with varied abilities. She authored 14 books, spoke around the world to churches and schools, and was the recipient of multiple awards including: Henry J. Nouwen Award, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2015; Christian Service Award, “Our building now had students that showed the Bethesda Lutheran Communities, 2012; Barbara most amazing diversity. Classrooms would include Lipinski Award of Merit, 2007; Great-West children who may have more typical learning Michigan Teacher, Grand Rapids Press, 2006; profiles as well as children with Down syndrome National Leadership Award, National Council on or autism. … And we were learning about living in the Handicapped, 1988. this kind of a community every single day. Stacy Deters, ZCS’s current Dir. of Student The teacher’s lounge was our best place of Support Services (position formerly titled Dir. discovery. “My student decided to crawl out the of Inclusion), had been mentored by Barb for 10 window.” “My student got locked in the bathroom years. Mrs. Deters stated that, “Barb provided stall.” “My student had the most amazing answer something many parents had not experienced to the Bible study question.” “My student seems to before - hope. A hope that their child could create the best classroom community I have ever be included, celebrated, loved, appreciated, experienced in my years of teaching.” We would challenged, and honored for who God created brainstorm and then try ideas. Sometimes it was him/her to be. Barb never turned down an the classmates who had the best ideas. opportunity to listen to one’s story. She dedicated
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