HURRY! Pre-K & Elementary Bulldogs Get Free Tix for KSD Education Foundation Basketball Fundraiser!
HEY, BULLDOGS!!! Every KSD preschool and elementary student gets FREE ENTRY to the Bulldogs vs. Wizards basketball fundraiser game on Saturday, April 11!
The doors open at 3:30 p.m., and the game starts at 4:30 p.m. in the fieldhouse at Kearney High School. Bring the attached coupon to the game for your child's entry!* It’s that simple. Parents, grab your tickets at the online box office! Kids 3 and under are always free. Don’t miss this high-energy, family-friendly event supporting students and educators across the entire district. Proceeds fund classroom grants and the Grow Your Own program, which helps our students pursue careers in public education!
*An adult must accompany all pre-K through grade 7 students.
Enrollment Now Open for KSD's Summer School 2026
Enrollment is now open for Kearney School District’s 2026 Summer School, and we are excited to offer another great summer of learning opportunities for KSD students. Families can find enrollment information for students entering grades K-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 at the district’s Summer Fun page.
KSD's Summer School 2026 will run June 1-25, 2026, on Mondays through Thursdays. Elementary students will attend from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., while secondary students will attend from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Elementary summer school will be held at Dogwood Elementary for Dogwood and Kearney Elementary students, and at Kearney Junior High for Southview and Hawthorne students. Secondary summer school will be held at Kearney High School.
Elementary (K-5) student families requesting transportation should be sure to complete enrollment by April 30. Summer school transportation will not be provided for students in grades 6-12.
Additional details, including enrollment links and secondary course offerings, are available at www.ksdr1.net/summerfun.
KHS Theatre Presents "Tuck Everlasting" April 8-11
Kearney High School Theatre will soon bring a beloved story to the stage, and our community will not want to miss it. Under the direction of Haley Kernes, KHS students will present Tuck Everlasting on Wednesday, April 8; Thursday, April 9; and Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m., with a Saturday matinee on April 11 at 2 p.m. This spring production promises an evening of outstanding student performance, heartfelt storytelling and the kind of live theatre experience that stays with you long after the curtain falls.
This week, Kearney School District is proud to celebrate National Assistant Principals Week and recognize a group of school leaders who make a difference in the lives of our students, staff and families every single day.
Assistant principals play an essential role in creating safe, supportive and successful schools. They are problem solvers, relationship builders and steady leaders who help keep each school community moving forward. Whether they are supporting students, partnering with teachers, assisting families or helping principals lead their buildings well, their impact is felt in countless ways.
We are grateful for the dedication and leadership of our assistant principals across KSD:
Kearney High School: Jeremy Hart and Amanda Hopkins
Kearney Junior High: Dr. Jessica Temple
Kearney Middle School: B.J. Webster
Dogwood Elementary: Sydney Johnson
Southview Elementary: Kirsten Lewis
Their work often happens behind the scenes, but it matters deeply. KSD is stronger because of their commitment to students and their care for the people they serve.
Please join us in thanking these outstanding public education leaders for all they do for our schools and our community!
Join Us in Celebrating Our KSD Paraprofessionals
Join us as we celebrate our Kearney School District paraprofessionals today and recognize the important role they play in supporting our students, staff and schools each day.
Although Paraprofessionals Appreciation Day fell during Spring Break, we did not want to let the moment pass without expressing our gratitude for these valued members of Team KSD. Our paraprofessionals make a difference in countless ways. They support learning, build strong relationships with students, assist teachers and help create school environments where children feel encouraged, cared for and ready to succeed.
Their work requires patience, flexibility, compassion and a deep commitment to helping others. In classrooms and programs across our district, paraprofessionals help keep our schools moving forward and provide meaningful support that has a lasting impact on students and staff alike.
We are grateful for all our KSD paraprofessionals do for children, families and colleagues across the district. Please join us in thanking them for their dedication and service to our school community.
See What’s Cooking in KSD's Food Service
Our partners at SFE have shared their latest newsletter, and it offers a fun look at the work happening every day in Kearney School District cafeterias. From student engagement and special events to staff highlights and meal service updates, this newsletter gives families, staff and community members a closer look at the people and programs that help keep our students fed and ready to learn. We encourage you to take a few minutes to check it out.
Read the Latest Kearney Academy Student Newsletter
There is a lot of meaningful learning happening at Kearney Academy, and one of the best ways to see it is through the voices of our students. Our families, staff and community members are encouraged to take a few minutes to read the latest student-produced Kearney Academy newsletter, which is linked in this post and highlights student experiences, field trips, life-readiness learning and more. It is a great reminder of the growth, creativity and support that define this important part of Kearney School District.
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.
If you already have a username and password: Enter that information into the windows on the left side of the page to access the Registration Gateway, then click “Add a Student” from the options on the left
If you are new to this system: Click the “Registration Gateway” link and then click “Start” on the next screen to create a username and password
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.
After completing the enrollment process, one of our Parents As Teachers program Parent Educators will contact you to schedule a kindergarten screening. Parent Educators screen to help KSD plan for classes and the needs of each incoming kindergarten class. Parent Educators will also provide at-home activities and information about summer programs, as well as answer any questions parents/guardians may have.
All families are encouraged to fill out the Online Meal Application Form. Completing this form allows families to qualify for free and reduced meal prices and also allows KSD to potentially become eligible for additional academic resources and funding.
Kindergarten Orientation events will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at each of KSD’s elementary schools. Stay tuned for details. This is an opportunity for families to receive helpful information about KSD, tour their school and meet their child’s teachers and building principal. We’re excited to welcome the Bulldogs Class of 2039!
Sign Up for the KSD Legislative Update
As the Missouri legislative session gets underway, Kearney School District is launching a short Legislative Update email newsletter to help our community understand how proposals in Jefferson City could affect our community's public schools. This newsletter will include a straightforward snapshot and brief analysis of proposals, bills, and laws at the state level that may impact public education, along with contact information for our local legislators. Please visit the KSD Legislative Updates page on our website at www.ksdr1.net/legislativeupdates and complete the opt-in form if you’d like to receive these newsletters.
And last but not least...
KSD Education Foundation-Funded Project Brings Science to Life at Hawthorne
Learning came to life in a memorable way on Wednesday afternoon, April 8, in Katy Foster’s third-grade classroom at Hawthorne Elementary, where students took part in a hands-on Project Based Learning experience centered on chicken incubation.
This unique opportunity was made possible through a $685 Teacher Innovation Grant from the KSD Education Foundation for Ms. Foster’s project, "From Egg to Chick: A Hands-On Learning Experience in Life Science." As part of the experience, students had the chance to candle the eggs, observe development inside the shells, and learn more about the incubation process from a special guest with remarkable expertise. Ms. Foster’s mother, a scientist who previously worked at SeaWorld San Diego hatching penguin eggs, visited the classroom to guide students through the process and help bring the science to life.
Experiences like this are a powerful example of what Project Based Learning and authentic literacy look like in Kearney School District. Students were not just reading about life cycles in a textbook. They were asking questions, making observations, recording what they noticed, and engaging directly with the kind of real-world learning that helps concepts stick.
“This grant has given our students the chance to experience science in a way they will remember,” Ms. Foster said. “Seeing their excitement as they observe the eggs, ask thoughtful questions and begin to understand the incubation process has been incredibly rewarding.”
Hawthorne Elementary Principal Chauncey Rardon said the project reflects the kind of meaningful learning experiences staff work to create for students each day.
“At Hawthorne, we want learning to be active, engaging and connected to the real world,” Rardon said. “This project gave students an opportunity to explore life science through curiosity, observation and hands-on discovery, and we are grateful to the KSD Education Foundation for helping make that possible.”
Kearney School District is grateful to the KSD Education Foundation for investing in innovative classroom experiences like this one and to Ms. Foster for creating such a rich opportunity for her students. You can help bring these types of learning experiences to life by getting a ticket today for the KSD Education Foundation's Harlem Wizards basketball fundraiser on Saturday, April 11, at Kearney High School. We look forward to seeing what happens next as this project continues and the chicks begin to hatch.
