Incumbent Andy Byerley faces longtime Dundee mayor David Russ for the Zone 1 position

County officials began mailing ballots for the May 20 special election April 30, and included on those documents is a charge to voters to determine the complexion of the Newberg-Dundee school board going forward.

Although three spots are open on the school board, there is only one contested position: the Zone 1 race between incumbent Andy Byerley and challenger David Russ.

Byerley has been an education specialist for the Oregon Department of Education since 2019. He also taught math and science in the Newberg-Dundee district from 2007 to 2016; was a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) coordinator/administrator in the Forest Grove School District for a year in 2016; and was a teacher on special assignment in the Hillsboro School District from 2017 to 2019.

He has a bachelor’s degree in physics and math from Seattle University, a master’s in teaching degree from George Fox University and a degree in administrative leadership from GFU.

Past volunteer posts have been on the Newberg district’s bond oversight committee 2011-12, the Mountain View Middle School parent group president for four years and on the MVMS site council since 2024.

Russ served as mayor of Dundee for 10 years after a one-year stint on the town’s council in 2013. He also served on the Yamhill County Parkway Committee 2014-24 and the Yamhill County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council in 2024.

He has a bachelor’s degree in an undisclosed discipline from Eastern Washington University and lists as his occupation an accountant and real estate broker.

The candidates’ statements in the voters’ pamphlet, mailed last week to county residents, give a glimpse of why they are running for office and what they will bring to the table if elected.

“I believe in upholding community values and prioritizing academics over politics,” Beyerley wrote. “I will make decisions with students, families and taxpayers in mind and am committed to ensuring our schools provide high-quality education while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

Russ wrote that his priorities for the district are a return to basics in education, creating workforce and career readiness in the schools, being fiscally responsible and protecting parents rights and responsibilities.

“Parents are the final say in their children’s lives and their voice must be heard,” Russ wrote. “Education is the cornerstone of society and board policies must be rooted in family values and student success. Public education is for our children, not politics.”

Russ advocated for expanding trade programs, apprenticeships and “real-world” job skills in the schools. He said the district must embrace “smart budgeting and oversight to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely” and stressed that “parents should know what’s being taught and have a voice in decisions.”

Byerley pointed to his years of experience in the classroom and as an administrator in his commitment to “strong schools that prepare students for a successful future.”

“I know and value the role schools play in the lives of our children, family and community,” he wrote. “As a resident of the Newberg-Dundee community for more than two decades and a proud father of two children attending Newberg public schools, I am committed to a rigorous education program that provides opportunities and ignites passions in our young people.”

Russ has been endorsed in the race primarily by the conservative element in the area, including county Commissioners Mary Starrett and Kit Johnston, Newberg Mayor Bill Rosacker, Newberg City Council member Robyn Wheatley and Dundee City Council member Alex Chiper.

Byerley’s endorsements are primarily from among those in the educational bloc in the community, including former district Superintendent Paula Radich, the district’s former communications director Claudia Stewart, retired administrator Terry McElligott, former principal Dan Busch and current board members Sol Allen and Deb Bridges, among others.

Other spots uncontested on school board

As Zone 4 incumbent Nancy Woodward did not file for reelection, Celeste Jones is running unopposed for the spot. Jones is a clinical psychologist at The Children’s Clinic, which has offices in Tualatin and Portland. Previously she was an associate professor and program director of the Graduate School of Clinical Psychology at George Fox University.

Jones is the former chair, vice chair and board member of the Oregon Board of Psychology. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oregon State University and a master’s degree and doctorate in psychology from George Fox University.

The sole filer for the Zone 5 spot is Aubrey Nichols, who was appointed to the position in June 2024.

She is a pre-K through eighth grade school administrator. Her past work experience is as an educator and executive director of an undisclosed nonprofit. She has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and public health from Oregon State and a master’s degree in teaching from Pacific University.