School District Prioritizes Security with Personnel Changes

During its Aug. 21 business meeting, the school board signed off on two items designed to help meet the safety and security objectives in Kearney School District’s five-year strategic plan.

The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Kearney to provide a School Resource Officer (SRO) for the district. District and city officials collaborated over several months to update the MOU, which dates back to 2014.

District Superintendent Emily Miller

The most important change to the MOU is that the District’s SRO will now be an employee of the city and report directly to the Kearney Police Department. District administration will have input on the selection process and work collaboratively with the Chief of Police and City Administrator regarding the SRO’s duties. Kearney School District will reimburse the city for the SRO’s time spent within the school district.

In addition, a motion to designate a district employee as a School Protection Officer (SPO), which is allowed under state law, was also approved by the board.

“It just gives the school district some flexibility to add additional safety and security personnel,” Superintendent Emily Miller said.

The SPO can perform functions similar to those of an SRO in schools. The only exception is the ability to make an arrest, which is reserved for law enforcement officers.

current KSD SRO Adam Kirkland

The plan is to have current KSD SRO Adam Kirkland become the district’s SPO, according to Director of Operations Erek Noland. KPD Ofc. Cameron Philip has been selected for the SRO position. It’s anticipated that he will start his new role in September.

Stakeholders identified increasing safety and security as a top priority in the district’s strategic plan. The administration made difficult budget decisions in order to find the resources to expand KSD’s safety and security team.

Dr. Miller assured the board that staff members, students and families won’t see a decrease in the level of service from the new SRO. In fact, the revised MOU combined with the addition of an SPO means that KSD will now have two trained safety and security professionals on-site.

Brian Watts contributed to this story.

School District Celebrates Southview Upgrades

Principal Rebecca Parks and Director of Operations Erek Noland gave Kearney School District’s Board of Education members a tour on Wednesday, Aug. 21 of the Proposition B bond projects that were completed recently as promised at Southview Elementary.

The Southview upgrades included a new secure entry and front office area, additional rooms designed to serve students with special needs, collaborative learning spaces and furnishings in every grade-level pod, improved HVAC systems, and other significant work. The project began in the spring with architectural designs by DLR Group and was managed by Newkirk Novak Construction Partners.

Dr. Parks expressed her gratitude to Southview staff members, parents, guardians and students for adapting to the disruptions caused by the project. She was also grateful to the community for supporting the zero-tax-rate-increase Prop B capital improvement bond when it went to voters in April of 2022.

“I just want to thank our entire team, our students and our families for their patience and good spirits throughout this process,” Parks said. “I know our teachers are thrilled by the new collaborative learning spaces and I’ve heard so many positive comments from everyone.”

In addition to the work at Southview, Newkirk Novak also completed important upgrades to the HVAC system at Kearney Middle School this summer, according to Operations Manager Ben Vanderau.

During the school board’s regular business meeting Wednesday evening, Mr. Vanderau and DLR Group representative Kevin Greischar shared some plans for the next round of Prop B projects. That work will include upgrades and expansions at Hawthorne Elementary, Kearney Elementary and Dogwood Elementary. Those projects should be completed by the time classes begin for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The school board also learned from Mr. Vanderau that the total cost estimate for the renovations at the remaining elementary schools has come in significantly lower than expected. This will potentially free up funds for more capital improvements. Mr. Noland will work with the district’s long-range facilities planning committee, which includes key stakeholders, to identify high-priority projects for the additional funds.

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.

Lifelong Bulldog Takes Assistant Principal Post at Dogwood

As the next academic year nears, Kearney School District's Dogwood Elementary School is welcoming a new member to its leadership team.

Sydney Johnson is joining Dogwood Elementary as the school's new Assistant Principal. Ms. Johnson is filling the job recently opened when former Dogwood Assistant Principal Kathleen Bahan moved up to Dogwood Principal.

Johnson is a lifelong Bulldog and a member of Team KSD who is taking on a new role. She grew up in Kearney, has children in the district, and taught fourth grade at Kearney Elementary during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Her path toward school administration began in 2019 as a member of the Liberty Public Schools' Leadership Academy and the Building Leadership Team at Ridgeview Elementary, where she taught fifth grade. She was also part of the district's English Language Arts collaboration committee for kindergarten through fifth grade.

Johnson is looking forward to continuing to contribute to the community she's proud to call her home.

"In pursuing the Assistant Principal role at Dogwood Elementary, I was driven by a deep-rooted commitment to serve the vibrant community that made me who I am today," she said. "With a passion for fostering academic excellence, nurturing student growth, and collaborating with dedicated educators, I am eager to contribute my skills and experience toward enhancing the educational experience for all students at Dogwood!"

As an elementary school assistant principal in Kearney School District, Johnson will take the lead in supporting, supervising and disciplining students in a way that promotes their growth and reinforces positive classroom outcomes. She will also coordinate with Bahan to address a wide array of daily operational needs across the campus.

During the search process for the Assistant Principal position, Ms. Bahan was impressed with Johnson's combination of classroom experience, leadership skills and passion for serving students, their families and her colleagues.

"We are excited to welcome Mrs. Johnson to the Dogwood community," Bahan said. "I am confident she will bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that will benefit our students, staff, and families. As a KSD graduate, Ms. Johnson has a deep knowledge of the Kearney School District and is committed to fostering a positive school culture. Her passion for education, dedication to student success, and collaborative spirit make her a perfect fit for Dogwood Elementary."

Before joining Kearney School District last year, Johnson taught at Ridgeview Elementary starting in 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, a Master of Science in Education Leadership and a Specialists in Superintendency degree, all from Northwest Missouri State University.

Ray Weikal contributed to this story.