School District Invites Community to Boundary Process Open House

Kearney School District will be hosting an informational open house for members of the public as part of the Elementary School Boundary Process from 7 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28; the location will be announced as details are finalized.

Kearney School District is in the process of evaluating the attendance boundaries for each elementary school this fall in order to help ensure that we operate effectively and efficiently with our resources. This process was initiated in September as the district’s Prop B bond capital improvement projects near completion and with new residential developments planned.

The open house will be an opportunity for KSD parents/guardians, employees and community members to:

- Review the proposed changes to KSD's elementary school attendance boundaries

- Talk about the proposals with members of the Elementary School Boundary Team

- Provide your feedback before the process is finalized

This process is likely to impact at least some of KSD stakeholders. Before any major boundary changes, the district is first allowing key stakeholders to ask questions, express concerns and provide their insights during the Elementary School Boundary Team meetings.

The Elementary School Boundary Team is currently reviewing demographic factors like projected enrollment growth and new residential developments, establishing decision-making criteria and generating proposed boundary options. Over the next several weeks, the team will engage the community to seek feedback, refine its recommendations, and eventually present a plan for approval by our Board of Education.

The team is comprised of 17 parents/guardians with children enrolled in Kearney School District. That group includes four KSD employees. They were selected by an administrative steering committee after completing an interest form.

Community members are encouraged to visit www.bit.ly/ksd-boundary-process for more information and updates as the process continues.

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

School District Seeks Public Input with Annual Survey

Kearney School District parents/guardians, students, employees and community members have the opportunity to provide valuable feedback by completing the 2024 KSD Annual Survey.

“Responsive Leadership & Community Engagement” is one of the four central pillars of the district’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. The annual survey is one of the most important methods used by the district to fulfill the goals included in that plan, according to Superintendent Emily Miller.

Dr. Emily Miller

“We must facilitate stakeholder engagement and empower student voices if we are going to achieve our mission to provide exemplary educational experiences in a safe and supportive learning environment,” Dr. Miller said. “The responses we get from this survey will help us achieve that goal.”

This survey will be active until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. All survey submissions will be kept anonymous.

The results will be compiled and analyzed by district administrators and then shared with the Board of Education and stakeholders. An executive summary with key insights will be posted this winter on the Kearney School District website.

Visit ksdr1.net/survey for a link to complete this year’s annual survey.

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Cheer Team Tops Regional Meet

The Kearney High School Cheer squad earned the first-place trophy at the Kansas City Regional Championships on September 29 in Liberty.

The varsity cheer squad traveled to Liberty High School after a jammed-packed week of Homecoming festivities to compete in the championships. Their regional routine included a 1-minute cheer and 2 minutes of music to knock out the top scores in stunts, tumbling, pyramids, basket tosses, dance and creativity.

“The team was electric and had the entire session clapping at the end of their performance,” KHS Cheer Head Coach Erin Schmeltz said.

The Bulldogs are now the 4A Large Regional Champions. The squad heads to state in November.

“These girls have worked hard since June on top of being students, holding jobs, being active in other organizations, and having normal teenage lives,” Assistant Coach Kassidy Robertson said. “If you see a KHS cheerleader today, be sure to congratulate them!”

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Sheriffs, Prosecutors Retirement System up for Vote

There will be a lot of ballot questions for Missouri voters to consider on election day next month. One of them directly impacts the state's sheriffs and prosecutors: Amendment 6.

This is the ballot language: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?"

Voting yes supports the resumption of a $3 court fee that was established in state statue in 1983 for the creation of the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System. It is not a tax. It is a court fee for those who are found guilty of a crime in the state of Missouri. Judges can still opt to waive the fee if they determine financial hardship.

This fee was in place from 1983 until 2015, when a lawsuit brought against the Retirement System went to the Missouri Supreme Court. The court ruled sheriffs and prosecutors were not part of the "administration of justice."

Advocates for sheriffs and prosecutors asked state legislators to let voters decide whether the administration of justice includes salary and benefits for sheriffs, prosecutors, and retired sheriffs and prosecutors. That's why the issue is now on the ballot.

If Amendment 6 doesn’t pass, the sheriffs' retirement system is projected to be bankrupt in 9 years, and the prosecutors' system in 15 years.

Clay County Sheriff’s Office submitted story.

Bulldogs Shutout Tigers in Conference Game

The Kearney Bulldog Varsity softball team put another notch in their win column against the Excelsior Springs Tigers on Monday, September 30. The Kearney shutout the Tigers in a Suburban Blue Conference game, 5-0.

Brooke Paalhar broke the tie in the third inning with a home run to left field in the third inning, scoring three runs.

Brooke Paalhar broke the tie in the third inning with a home run to left field in the third inning, scoring three runs. Then and singled in the fourth inning, scoring one run.

Macy Morrow led the Bulldogs with three hits in four at bats and Kennedi Casey collected two hits in three at bats.

Alyssa Quick pitched all seven innings in a gem of a game. She struck out 12 batters and allowed four hits and zero runs over seven innings while walking none.

Other highlights include:

Alyssa Quick went 1-3

Morgan Pennington went 1-3

Jocelyn Lincoln 1-3

Ryleigh Van Emmerik went 1-3

Kearney is now 22-4 on the season and 6-0 in conference.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.