There's still time to make your voice heard! Kearney School District is seeking input from parents, guardians, staff members and community members through our Great Schools = Great Community initiative as we plan for the district's long-term facility needs and address the financial challenges facing our schools.
Please take a few minutes to watch our overview video, explore the information on our website and complete the online survey that applies to you. Your feedback will help guide important decisions about the future of Kearney School District.
The online surveys are still available, so don't miss this opportunity to participate! Watch, learn and share your thoughts:www.ksdr1.net/greatschools
Based on the beloved Mary Rodgers novel and the Disney films, Freaky Friday follows a mother and daughter who magically swap bodies for 24 chaotic hours. Along the way, Katherine and Ellie gain a new understanding of each other’s challenges and discover just how much love and respect hold their relationship together.
Performances will be held Nov. 3-5 and Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Kearney High School Auditorium. The production runs approximately two hours and 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.
Come support our talented Bulldog performers, musicians and crew members as they bring this funny and heartfelt story to the stage!
Celebrate the KHS Freaky Friday Cast and Crew With Flowers
The Kearney High School PTO is helping families and friends celebrate the talented students bringing the musical Freaky Friday to the stage this November!
The PTO is taking preorders for flowers that audience members can give to their favorite performers, musicians and crew members. It's a great way to congratulate our Bulldogs on their hard work while supporting KHS PTO fundraising efforts!
Flower options include:
Single wrapped rose: $5
Three-rose bouquet: $12
Small mixed bouquet: $15
Premium mixed bouquet: $25
Show dates: Nov. 3, 4, 5 and 7, 2026, at 7 p.m.
Preordered flowers will be available for pickup outside the theater beginning 30 minutes before each performance.
Thanks to our KHS PTO for supporting our students and helping make this production even more special. Break a leg, Bulldogs!
Celebrating the Outstanding Principals of Kearney School District
Great schools start with great people, and the principals of Kearney School District help make a difference for our students, staff and families every day!
Our principals are instructional leaders, mentors, problem-solvers and advocates for students and educators. They help create welcoming schools where students feel connected, teachers have the support they need to succeed, and families know they are valued partners in their children's education.
Their work is challenging, often unpredictable and always important. Through it all, they lead with a shared commitment to strengthening students, building community and developing educators.
During National Principals Month, we invite our community to join us in recognizing and thanking these eight outstanding leaders for their dedication to our students and the entire KSD community. Thank you for everything you do to help make Kearney School District a great place to learn, work and grow!
Great Schools = Great Community!
KHS Trapshooting Team Takes Top Honors at Multi-School Competition!
Congratulations to the Kearney High School trapshooting team on an outstanding performance Saturday, Oct. 24, at a multi-school competition at KCTA!
Fourteen KHS students competed, and our Bulldogs brought home several impressive honors:
First Place Overall in the team competition
First and Third Place in the squad competition
Third Place Overall for Dominic Arnone, who recorded an impressive individual score of 91 out of 100
These outstanding results reflect the skill, dedication and hard work of our student competitors. Congratulations to all 14 team members and Head Coach Angie Carmack on a terrific day of competition!
KHS Football Finishes Regular Season Undefeated, Claims Conference Championship!
The Kearney High School Bulldogs are heading into the playoffs with a perfect 9-0 record after closing out the regular season with a 50-0 victory over Ruskin on Thursday, Oct. 22!
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Luke Denston, Cruise Emmons, Braiden Feurer and Matthew Lindsey all scored touchdowns in the first quarter, with Emmons finding the end zone twice. Jackson Lager added a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery, and Trace Brewer capped the scoring in the second quarter.
KHS delivered another outstanding defensive performance, shutting out Ruskin and forcing multiple turnovers.
The game also marked a major milestone for quarterback Carter Temple, who broke the KHS career touchdown passing record previously held by Casey Rooney. Temple now has 53 career touchdown passes and counting!
With the victory, the Bulldogs secured the conference championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the Class 4 District 8 playoffs.
Here's what's next for the Bulldogs:
Friday, Oct. 30: First-round bye
Friday, Nov. 6: District semifinal against the winner of the St. Joseph Benton vs. Van Horn game
Friday, Nov. 13: District championship, if KHS advances
Additional game details will be shared as they become available.
Congratulations to our student-athletes, coaches and everyone who has contributed to an outstanding regular season. And thanks to our Bulldog fans for supporting the team throughout the fall!
Start Thanksgiving with a Bulldog Tradition: 2026 Turkey Trot
Registration is now open for one of Kearney’s favorite Thanksgiving traditions!
The 15th Annual KSD Education Foundation Turkey Trot will step off at 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26, at Kearney High School Stadium. Families, students, alumni and community members are invited to start the holiday together with a 4-mile or 1-mile walk/run, plus a free Tot Trot for the youngest Bulldogs. A virtual option will also be available Nov. 24-29 for those who want to participate wherever Thanksgiving takes them.
Even better, every step supports Kearney students. Registration fees, donations and sponsorships benefit KSD Education Foundation classroom grants and scholarships while also supporting the Kearney High School Cross Country team. The Foundation’s work helps provide learning opportunities and resources beyond what the regular district budget can support.
Regular registration will be $35 through Nov. 8. Participants can also register later, although race shirts are not included with late registration.
Whether you plan to race, walk with family and friends or simply enjoy being part of a great Kearney tradition, the Turkey Trot is a wonderful way to begin Thanksgiving while supporting our Bulldogs.
KSD Winter Sports Registration and Tryout Information
Winter sports are just around the corner, and families can help make sure student-athletes are ready to participate by completing their Activities Registration in PowerSchool before the first day of practice or tryouts.
High School (Grades 9-12)
Nov. 2: Girls Wrestling
Nov. 2: Girls Basketball
Nov. 2: Boys Basketball
Nov. 9: Boys Wrestling
Junior High (Grades 7-8)
Oct. 26: Boys & Girls Wrestling
Nov. 2: Girls Basketball
Nov. 2: Boys Basketball
Times and locations will be shared at a later date. Students who participated in a fall sport are already cleared for participation.
To complete registration, families should log in to PowerSchool, select Forms and then the Enrollment tab. Complete Form J, followed by Form K, including the required consent and release sections. If a new physical is needed, families should upload Page 5 of the completed MSHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Form in Form K. If a current physical is already on file, the expiration date should appear automatically and no new upload is needed. The attached step-by-step guide walks families through the entire process.
Thank you for helping our Bulldogs stay eligible and ready to compete this winter!
Learn About Running for the KSD Board of Education at Nov. 10 Information Session
Community members interested in learning more about serving on the Kearney School District Board of Education are invited to attend a Board of Education Candidate Information Session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the KSD central office, 425 W. Washington St.
The session is designed to help prospective candidates better understand the election process and the roles and responsibilities of a school board member. All members of the public are welcome to attend.
The next General Municipal Election will be held Tuesday, April 6, 2027. Candidate filing for the election will open Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026, and close Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027.
Under Missouri law, KSD Board of Education candidates must be:
A U.S. citizen
A resident taxpayer of Kearney School District
A resident of the district for at least one year immediately preceding the election
At least 24 years old
Additional state requirements and disqualifications also apply. KSD will provide complete candidate filing information before the filing period begins.
Anyone with questions about the information session or the Board candidate process may contact Board of Education Secretary Becky Burkemper at burkemperb@ksdr1.net or (816) 628-4116.
Serving on the Board of Education is an important form of public service and an opportunity to help guide the future of Kearney School District. We encourage anyone who may be considering Board service to attend and learn more.
And last but not least...
Hawthorne Third Graders Turn 3D Printing Into Hands-On Learning
Third graders at Hawthorne Elementary are learning what it takes to run a business, manage orders, work as a team and deliver a finished product. And they're doing it all with a 3D printer!
Thanks to a $700 grant from the Kearney School District Education Foundation (KSDEF), teacher Katy Foster has launched PAWsitive Prints, a student-led Project Based Learning (PBL) experience that puts her students in charge of a real-world production operation.
Teachers and staff at Hawthorne can submit orders for 3D-printed items through an online form. From there, the third graders take over.
Students organize incoming requests, operate the printer, finish and assemble products, package completed orders, track inventory and coordinate deliveries. They've even established their own production teams, with students taking responsibility for different stages of the process.
During a recent visit, students were busy sorting colorful 3D-printed creations, assembling Bulldog keychains and cupcake-themed items, and preparing orders for delivery.
The students are also learning to make the most of their resources. They've received an additional $300 in donations to purchase printing filament, and they're carefully collecting and sorting leftover material by color for recycling and future projects.
One of the most important aspects of PAWsitive Prints is Foster's intentional commitment to student ownership. Rather than simply demonstrating how the technology works, she's creating opportunities for her third graders to make decisions, solve problems, collaborate with classmates and take responsibility for the results.
