05-05-2025
Governor names 2 to state's K-12 board
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — One of the men being replaced says he likes the governor's two new choices for the South Dakota Board of Education Standards because they have public school experience.
One of Gov. Larry Rhoden's appointees is Tonia Warzecha. She currently is superintendent for Dakota Valley school district in North Sioux City, South Dakota, and will soon be joining the Tea school district as its new superintendent.
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The second new member is Greg Von Wald. He currently lives in Rapid City after serving seven years as president of Mitchell Technical Institute. Before that, he was CEO for Golden West Technologies in Rapid City.
They succeed Terry Nebelsick, a retired superintendent for the Huron school district, and Justin Zajic, who is superintendent for the Chamberlain school district.
Former Gov. Kristi Noem announced in March 2021 that she had appointed Nebelsick to the board, which oversees South Dakota's public K-12 schools.
Nebelsick was elected as the board's president for 2023. But, in a secret ballot, he lost the presidency a year later to Steve Meyers of Sioux Falls, another Noem appointee.
The two men had taken opposite sides during a bitter fight over new social studies standards that Noem supported but the major education groups opposed. Meyers voted yes, while Nebelsick said no.
In 2024, Nebelsick was a candidate for a District 22 seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives, but he lost in the Republican primary.
State law says board members can serve three consecutive four-year terms, but Nebelsick wasn't reappointed after his first term expired on Dec. 31.
Contacted for comment about the new appointees, Nebelsick stated, 'I'm very glad to see that Governor Rhoden chose two professional education leaders to join the Board of Education Standards. I wish them the very best.'
Noem announced Zajic's appointment last year, but he never attended a board meeting. He hasn't responded to a request for comment.
With the appointments of Warzecha and Von Wald, the board is now back to a full seven members.
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