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Kvols graduates her final class of pre-schoolers before heading off to retirement

LAUREL — Learning Tree Pre-School founder Judy Kvols conducted her final Learning Tree Preschool graduation ceremony Friday.

After 37 years, the school, set up in the basement of her home, will be silent. Her last graduation class included Sicily Arduser, Naomi Badley, Lena Brummels, Emily Erwin, Taylor Funk, Hannah Fuoss, Annastyn Hall, Jack Kvols, Ada Lipp and Graham Patefield.

The program was both a graduation and a surprise farewell for Kvols’ retirement.

Alumni of her program were encouraged to attend. The admiration and bond between Kvols and the preschool children is clear, as one of the stories that she recalled. One of her preschool boys said, ‘’Turn around Mrs. Kvols.’’ She asked, “Why?’’ “I want to see where you put your wings,’’ he said. “I think you are an angel.’’

All the children listed on the program had their favorite colors, favorite foods and what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Ironically, with Mother’s Day on Sunday many of the girls want to be a mom.

During the program, Kvols gave the children roses to give to their mothers and then sang a song for them. Words from the song included,’’God made my mom with a special design.’’ On the program she included “Mom, you are you. You’re unique. You are one of a kind.’’

Kvols said this class of children, the majority or nearly all except two are the youngest children in their families.

Kvols said she began the preschool when her son Jon, was ready to attend one. Both of his sons have graduated from the program. The final grandson Jack, graduated at Friday’s program.

“I always loved kids and I was a teacher at a country school,’’ Kvols said. “I got to the point where I could substitute or do a preschool.’’

Her daughter Kristi said her Mom always made sure the kids felt loved and welcomed.

“Mom said it is hard when she gets attached to the families and several of the children go through her program and then graduate out. It is hard to see the youngest one go,’’ Lipp said. “She took a break during Covid last year and did a drive-through graduation. Kids came in cars with their parents.’’

Kvols said she wanted to start something with the preschool to train children for the transition from home to school to take the next step from home to kindergarten and not be scared.

“I always held the graduation at the school so they knew this is where they would be going to school,’’ Kvols said. “I have been blessed beyond measure to have these students.’’

Christina Patefield, parent of a preschooler, said Graham Patefield is her fourth child graduating from Kvols’ school.

”Each of our children, Holly, Weston and Lauren, went two and a half years and all started when they were three,’’ she said. Holly and Lauren Patefield helped with the program that evening. “She is amazing. She does it all and makes the kids comfortable and excited to go and learn,’’ Patefield said. “She has outings for them and takes them to the circus with a wide variety of activities lined up for kids. She’s like a mother or grandmother and treats every child like her own. It is fun to see kids run up to school and be excited to go.’’

Patefield said she has told many families about her and pointed out how the kids love going and can go for years.

“She has the parents be involved and come along on trips with the kids,’’ Patefield said. “Children learn by play and this is hands-on learning, active learning. Every Halloween they make a pumpkin out of toilet paper. Every year they also made fabric handprints since the beginning of the program at Christmas.’’

Another parent, Carol Erwin, said Emily, her fourth child graduated. “’You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit,’’’ is what Erwin said her children learned. “She is so patient and so kind. She would always say, ‘Mom, it’s okay you can go now when a child was upset. We loved all the field trips. They have gone to the vet clinic and grocery store. They went to the bowling alley and got to see how heavy the pins were. They went on hayrack rides and always do extra special things for kids to do and learn.’’

Erwin said they learned social skills and how to calm down at preschool.

“They learned words from preschool about getting along with others. Vocabulary words were something kids would come home and say Mrs. Kvols taught me this. They were open to different things and she changed and adapted things. This year the opening was during Covid and she knew this year needed structure to keep the children learning.’’ Erwin said how fortunate she feels that Kvols did this for children. “She worked hard to make sure everything was the best,’’ Erwin said. “She trains them and they do it. They know the routine.’’ Shellene Funk said her child, Taylor, is the third from their family graduating. “We enjoyed all the field trips for kids,’’ Funk said. “There were so many. We remember best the Sioux City Children’s Museum.’’ Funk said it is good that as parents we can do the programs and activities with our children.

Former school board president and preschool parent Jay Hall said all his kids went through the Learning Tree program.

“I always enjoyed going and the kids were always excited to go,’’ Hall said. “I went to the circus with the kids and was glad all our kids got to go. Everyone will miss her doing this.” The social aspect and the friends that they meet are important. They have stayed friends with those they meet through high school.’’

Kvols said her favorite part of this endeavor has been the children.

“Last year, I had a class with parents who were the first class to graduate and now I had their children,’’ Kvols said.

Kvols grew up near Hartington. She said she met her husband at a country school program.

“I peeked out and saw him,’’ she said. “That was it.’’ Morris Kvols bet her husband that he wouldn’t ask her out. “So he did,’’ Kvols said. “We dated through high school.’’

She attended Wayne State College and taught country school. She substitute taught for three years and was married in 1967.

Her husband went to Vietnam in 1968.

Her family has a long history on the farm where they live.

“We live and farm on the same place that our grandparents and parents farmed on,’’ Kvols said.

Kvols said her plans for retirement are to keep busy. As a gift, the children gave her a blue quilted pillow made from one of the first t-shirts from her program.

Judy and her husband Jim have been married for more than 53 years and live seven miles north of Laurel. They have three children, Kristi Lipp, Jon and Jason Kvols, along with 15 grandchildren.

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