Broadcaster Press 03 January 24, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com One in a VerMillion Meet Judy Zwolak By David Lias david.lias@plaintalk.net Judy Zwolak and her husband, John Dudley, moved to Vermillion in 2003, and since that time, John eventually became chair of the English Department at the University of South Dakota and Judy has found herself deeply involved in issues important to the Vermillion School District. “My daughter was 5 and my son was 2 at the time,” she said. “Probably the biggest thing that I’ve been involved in, and the thing I’m most proud of, was helping out with the opt-out.” She’s referring to the Vermillion School District’s opt-out of the property tax freeze – approved by a public vote of district patrons – so that more funding can be available for school programs. Shortly after Judy and her family moved to Vermillion, she witnessed the failure of a previous opt-out election by the school district, held in September 2003. “When we first came to town and my daughter was in kindergarten, I remember hearing about that and thinking I better vote for it,” she said. “I went down a week before the election to register to vote, and I was told you have to register four weeks in advance of an election, so I didn’t get to vote on it, and it didn’t pass, and I felt very bad about that.” As she became acquainted with parents in the community, especially women involved in the Vermillion Parents Teacher Association (PTA), discussions about the opt-out intensified to the point that she and others, as a group, urged the Vermillion School Board to attempt another opt-out vote, and added they would assist the board in that effort. Judy joined a community effort to gather signatures from citizens who reside in the school district, and who were in support of an opt-out to provide the school needed funding, on small, yellow pledge cards. “We took them everywhere we went, and we had some great parents working on this,” she said. “Some parents were so single-minded that the cards were always in their pockets or always in their purses and they were always pulling them out, and they would always come back with a lot of pledge cards signed.” Judy was still a newcomer to South Dakota at the time, and was slowly growing more and more aware of the state’s traditional strong anti-tax sentiment. “For me, since I was a newcomer, I think it made it easier for me to go up to people and ask them to sign a pledge card.” The school board had requested that nearly 1,000 signatures in support of the opt-out be gathered before they would consider another opt-out election. The women met that goal, an election was scheduled, and a five-year opt-out was approved by a public vote in 2005. That opt-out expired last year right as the governor and state Legislature were making deeper cuts in education funding. The Vermillion School Board agreed to extend the opt-out of the tax freeze for five more years, and their action received no challenge from the public. The opt-out experience is just one example of Judy’s dedication to public education in the Vermillion community. She currently is serving her second consecutive year as president of the local PTA, and is involved in numerous volunteer efforts to enhance the local school district’s mission. “I think that a school district can accomplish so much by inviting and WANTED Junk cars, trucks, semi trucks, & trailers, plows, construction equipment, dozers, scrapers, trackhoes, backhoes, etc., misc. ...and other misc. irons and metals. Also wanted: Batteries. Call 712-898-8244 JUDY ZWOLAK welcoming parents to become involved and use their expertise and energy,” she said, “and that’s where I want to help benefit the school district and help benefit my children and other children by volunteering my time and volunteering whatever skills I may have to help make the school district the best it can be. “I know that everyone is very busy these days, but I think it is important for parents to try to do even small things, such as working for an hour at our scholastic book fair, or volunteering for an hour a month to read to a student; teachers are always looking for volunteers to help for that,” Judy said. She believes it is important for not only the school district to be open and welcoming to parents, but also for parents to be willing to help. “I feel strongly about that, and I believe it only makes our district and our community stronger, and I’m so pleased to be in a community where the public school is such an important part of the community,” Judy said. FOR THE RECORD Cases Disposed 1/6-12/2012 Jon Scott Keszler, 1000 S. Crawford, Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Jon Scott Keszler, 1000 S. Crawford, Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Barbara Gillespie, 705 N. 3rd St., Beresford; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Hillary Scott Johnson, 1337 E. Clark St. #103, Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Martin Madsen, Box 505, Wakonda; No drivers license, $54.00 plus costs Tracey L. Godsey, 410 3rd St., Ponca, NE; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Tracey L. Godsey, 410 3rd St., Ponca, NE; Speeding other roadways, $39.00 plus costs Edward Patrick Wilharm, 116 Court Street, Vermillion; Disorderly conduct, $100.00 plus costs Dylan Peterson, 46684 Benton St., Sioux Falls; Speeding on state highway, $79.00 plus costs Beautiful Baby Contest 2012 Attention Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Godparents and Friends! We are featuring our annual Beautiful Baby Contest In print and online on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Only this time our online readers will determine the winners! If you or someone you know has a beautiful child, we would love to include them in our feature and they might even have a chance to win prizes from local businesses and a framed winners print! To enter, simply log online by going to: Sara Helen Nelson, 29978 Hay Crick Road, Herrick; Speed on fourlane in rural areas, $39.00 plus costs Mathias B. Hybertson, 46289 291st, Centerville; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Dorothy Lafrance, 28 Walnut Street, Vermillion; Domestic abusesimple assault, not sustained at preliminary/grand jury Deanna M. Houle, 411 Stanford Street Lot #52, Vermillion; Open alcoholic beverage container accessible in vehicle, $54.00 plus costs Tyler Eiesland, 6201 S. Connie Ave., Sioux Falls; Speeding other roadways, $39.00 plus costs Marisa Olson King, 219 S. Pine St., Vermillion; Speeding other roadways, $39.00 plus costs Stuart Kissick, 311 E. National St., Vermillion; Speed on four-lane in rural areas, $59.00 plus costs Jessica Marie Schoenfelder, 911 E. Duke St. #40, Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Aaron Kerkhove, 218 Hall St. Apt. 14, Vermillion; Renewal registration during assigned month, $54.00 plus costs Robert Anderson, 28 N. Walnut St., Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Leslie Larson, 46614 316th St., Vermillion; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Tyler Clark Jensen, Thomas Hall #111, Spearfish; Renewal registration during assigned month, $54.00 plus costs Tyler Clare Thedorff, 46467 304th St. Centerville; County speeding, $99.00 plus costs Karen Kaeberle, 45541 Jetley Park Street, Meckling; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Russell Pick PO Box 626, Remsen, IA; No drivers license, $19.00 plus costs Megan Salgado, 45 Oak Groave Road, Palmyra, VA; Possession of Hurry In For Your Lennox alcohol by minor, $134.00 plus costs Brenda Malcom, 2400 Douglas #28, Yankton; Speed on four-lane in rural areas, $39.00 plus costs Alison Petrik, 45251 309th St., Gayville; Speed on four-lane in rural areas, $99.00 plus costs Suzanne Decelle, 3060 Myrtle St., Sioux City, IA; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Jennifer M. Zerfas, 701 Coyote St., Harrisburg; Speeding on state highway, $39.00 plus costs Scott Lee Mines, 275 Marina Del Avenue, Yankton; Seat belt violation, $25.00 Sandra Joan Brown, 507 Oakmont Dr., Vermillion; Speeding other roadways, $19.00 plus costs Jeffrey Leak, 145 Highland Ave., Oakaloosa, IA; Speeding other roadways, $19.00 plus costs Chelsea Nichole Lee, 901 Rose #161C, Vermillion; Speeding other roadways, $39.00 plus costs $1550 Rebate Efficient and Comfort only from... and... HEATING & COOLING 920 Broadway Yankton, SD 665-9461 http://play2win.upickem.net/ Register to submit your photos: 1 entry per email address Upload your photo to one of the following categories: 0-6 months • 7-12 months • 13 months-2 years • 3-4 years You have until February 3rd to submit your photos. They will then be voted on by the public. You can help promote your child to win through Facebook and email! People will be able to vote once per day per registered email address. Voting will take place from February 4th-19th. Winning photos will be published in the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan on February 22nd. First place winners will receive a framed winners print and gift certificates to local businesses. Employees and family members of Yankton Media Inc. and any of its subsidiaries are ineligible to win. Your online submission authorizes the publication of this photo in this contest in print and online at http://www.yankton.net and http://play2win.upickem.net If you have any questions please email us at classifieds@yankton.net and we will help you with your online submissions. PRESS&DAKOTAN Y A N K T O N D A I LY • Hand-woven -wove wov • Machine Washable • Beautiful, unique texture if fu text ex x • Size include throw rugs, es t ro ow r rug runners & area r gs ru • Custom orders welcome sto rd r w Bring this ad in for $10 off a $50 rug purchase Effective through Jan 31, 2012. One Coupon per customer SCSPR customer. www nweav r s.com www.inweaverugs com we ve s www nw avefa r com www.inweavefabric.com we ve 82 Centra ve Hawarden -800- 46- 328 823 C ntral Ave, Hawarde • 1-800-646-932 • 712-551-1523 23 ve, wa -64 -9328 4 -551 52 23 Mon.- ri 9:30- :3 Sat 9:30Mon.-Fr . • 9:30-5:30; Sat • 9:30-3 o -Fr 9:3 -5:30; Sat 9:30-F -5 30 t. -3