The Kearney School District Board of Education opened its June 17 meeting by recognizing the KHS Girls and Boys Track & Field athletes who earned All-State honors. Coach Scott Crall introduced members of both programs, including the boys team that finished eighth overall in Class 4 and the girls who earned fifth-place finishes in discus and the 4x800-meter relay.
The Board also received updates on long-range facilities planning, summer maintenance projects and the proposed 2026-2027 budget. Action items included approval of employee salary schedules, a two-year $1.584 million grant from the Clay County Children’s Services Fund, a new student-support screening system, the transition from Qualtrics to Jotform and the move to bring three longtime technology support professionals onto the KSD staff.
School breakfast and lunch prices will increase by 10 cents for the coming school year. The final 2026-2027 budget will be considered during a special meeting on June 29.
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Southview and Dogwood Elementary summer school students combined creativity, research and a love of soccer for a hands-on Project Based Learning experience in Ashley Hummel’s fourth- and fifth-grade class.
Their work centered on the driving question: “How can we learn about the history and culture of different countries through their soccer kits?”
Students researched countries from around the world, including Mexico, Brazil, Spain, France, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. They then used what they learned to design original soccer uniforms that incorporated national colors, flags, landmarks, traditions and other cultural details.
To bring their ideas to life, the students constructed three-dimensional players and displays from cardboard, paper, craft sticks and other materials. Each project also included information explaining the thinking and research behind the design.
The finished creations were imaginative, detailed and completely unique. They were also a great example of how Project Based Learning gives students opportunities to connect academic content with art, design, teamwork and real-world interests. Great work!
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Our sixth- and seventh-grade summer school students have been building much more than robots in Mr. Wernimont’s class.
They started with the basics and learned how to design, build and program their own functional robots. By yesterday, June 11, they were ready to show what their machines could do on the playing field.
Students also had the chance to learn from members of Kearney High School’s Team Kearnage, our student-led robotics team. Team Kearnage students and coaches shared how they design, build, program and operate their competition robots at events across the region and nation.
Then it was the middle-schoolers’ turn. Mr. Wernimont’s students gave a great demonstration of their robots in action, showing off the problem-solving, teamwork and persistence that went into every build.
This is exactly what summer school should be: hands-on, engaging and connected to real opportunities for our Bulldogs.
Great work, students, and thank you to Team Kearnage for helping inspire the next generation of KSD robotics students!
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There is still time to sign up for the 2026 KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 25, at The Club at Marimack in Kearney.
Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The tournament will be a four-person scramble and is limited to the first 18 teams. The cost is $240 per team and includes a catered BBQ lunch.
This is always a great day of Bulldog fellowship and friendly competition. Proceeds support the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame and help fund the Bob Pence KHS Hall of Fame Scholarship, which is awarded to two Kearney High School seniors each year.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available, including tournament sponsor, driving range or beverage cart sponsor, hole sponsor and course signage options.
Please see the registration form for details and to sign up. Questions can be directed to the Kearney High School Activities Office at 816-628-3647.
KHS is also collecting leftover camp shirts or other team apparel to use as raffle prizes during the tournament. Coaches or sponsors who have items to donate can contact KHS Principal Dr. Andy Gustafson.
Thank you for helping us celebrate Bulldog athletics, honor our Hall of Fame and support future KHS graduates!
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Soon, many of the text messages you get from our schools will come from regular 10-digit phone numbers. This will make it easier to see who is messaging you. For example, a message from your child’s teacher will come from a different phone number than a message from the school office.
What’s changing?
Right now, most texts come from a 5-digit number. Soon, you’ll start getting texts from different regular 10-digit phone numbers for:
- Direct messages
- Classroom and group posts
- School posts
Messages from the district, digests and alerts will still come from the current 5-digit number.
What should you do?
When you receive a message from one of these new 10-digit numbers, save it to your contacts. Here are some suggestions:
- Save a teacher’s number as: "Ms. Davis - 4th Grade"
- Save classroom/group posts as: "Bulldog Elementary Classes"
- Save school posts number as: "Bulldog Elementary Updates"
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Kearney School District will be transitioning to a new online payment system for families later this summer.
As part of this change, KSD will discontinue the use of LINQ Connect. Online payments through LINQ Connect will be turned off beginning June 15, 2026. For the remainder of summer school, families who need to make payments should do so directly through their child’s school using cash or check.
The district plans to launch a new online payment system through RevTrak in August 2026. Once RevTrak is available, families will be able to access the system using their existing PowerSchool accounts.
All existing balances will be carried forward automatically from LINQ Connect to the new RevTrak platform.
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The City of Kearney, in partnership with GO North KC and other regional organizations, is hosting Cleats & Beats at Jesse James Park. This free community FanFest, World Cup watch party and concert event will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 19.
The highlight of the day will be a live outdoor viewing of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match between the United States and Australia on a massive screen. Kearney is one of seven Northland locations helping bring World Cup excitement to our region through this partnership with GO North KC.
After the match, the celebration will keep rolling with live music from The Bangerz, plus a DJ to help keep the energy going throughout the event. Families and fans can also enjoy food trucks, concessions, selfie stations, interactive Fan Zone activities and a drop-in soccer camp with international coaches from Challenger Sports from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Kearney School District is hiring custodians to help keep our schools clean, safe and ready for learning every day.
Our custodial team members play an essential role in maintaining the spaces where students learn, teachers teach, and our Bulldog community comes together. This is hands-on, meaningful work with a team that takes pride in serving our schools.
KSD custodian positions start at $17.26/hour, with placement based on the district’s classified salary schedule. A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
Custodians help maintain clean and welcoming indoor spaces, restock supplies, support seasonal grounds work and respond to the daily needs of our schools.
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Summer is a great time for Bulldogs to stay active, build skills, try something new and stay connected with classmates, coaches and activity sponsors.
Kearney School District has created a new Summer Camps and Activities webpage to help families find opportunities in one convenient place. The page includes youth camps, high school camps and clinics, tryouts, team activities, summer conditioning, open gyms and summer leagues.
Families can view dates, times, grade levels, locations, flyers, registration links and coach or sponsor contact information at: www.ksdr1.net/camps
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We have prepared our key 2026 Back-to-School dates, including schedule pick-ups, transition events, open houses and the first day of classes. The first day of school for the 2026-2027 academic year will be Tuesday, Aug. 25. More important events, information and updates are available at www.ksdr1.net/back-to-school. |
Kearney School District is excited to open fall enrollment for Kids Club, our before- and after-school care program for elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Enrollment for families who are not currently enrolled in Kids Club opened on Monday, May 11.
Kids Club provides a safe, caring and convenient option for KSD families who need before- or after-school care during the school year. The program is available at each of our elementary schools and is designed to support students while giving parents/guardians peace of mind.
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Kearney School District’s kindergarten enrollment is open for the 2026-2027 academic year! If you have a child who will be age five on or before July 31, 2026, this is the time to enroll them in kindergarten! Start the kindergarten enrollment process by clicking the link provided below.
Parents/guardians will be required to provide a birth certificate, a record of required immunizations, and proof of residence for their child during kindergarten enrollment. Use our online district boundary map to locate the elementary school your child will attend.
Kindergarten Orientation events will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at each of KSD’s elementary schools.
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This annual event helps KSD students and families get ready for the start of a new school year by connecting them with school supplies, clothing and other helpful resources. Last year’s Resource Fair served 285 students, one of the highest turnouts since COVID. We are excited to continue working together to make sure every Bulldog has a strong start to the school year.
The 2026 Resource Fair will be held at Kearney Junior High:
- 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
- 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14
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Our sixth- and seventh-grade summer school students got a hands-on look this week at careers in law enforcement and fire and rescue during the Police & Fire experience.
One of the highlights came yesterday, when members of the Kearney Fire & Rescue Protection District led students through a bike safety course. Students practiced important riding skills, learned about safe habits and had the chance to put what they learned into action on a course set up in the parking lot.
A special Bulldog shoutout goes to Taylor Gieselman, a Kearney High School Class of 2023 graduate and member of KFRPD. Taylor studied fire safety while he was a KSD student and was hired by KFRPD shortly after graduating. He helped revive this summer bike safety experience and played a big role in organizing and leading the course, including making sure bike helmets were available for students who needed them.
This is exactly the kind of experience we love to see during summer school: active, practical and connected to the people and careers that help keep our community safe.
Thank you to Taylor and the KFRPD team for investing their time and energy in our students!
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June 25 - Last Day of Summer School
Aug. 20 - Back-to-School Open Houses
Aug. 25 - First Day of School
Sept. 7 - Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
Sept. 25 - Homecoming 2026
Oct. 16 - Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)
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