Rumors of school-related threats have impacted communities across our region, state and nation over the last couple of weeks. These incidents cause stress for our students and families, as well as our staff. They also disrupt the learning environment. We appreciate our administrators, staff members and local law enforcement partners who swiftly investigate these threats and who work diligently every day to help keep our students safe.

We want to share some important takeaways from our recent experiences and a couple of things that you can do to help. As always, our mutual goals are to help keep everyone safe while ensuring that teaching and learning are uninterrupted.

We will directly notify all parents/guardians when there is a possibility of an elevated risk involving our schools. These messages will be delivered by email and may be accompanied by a text message or phone call, depending on the urgency of the concern. Social media posts are secondary and will only ever be included on our main district accounts.

Our past practice has been to include all student email addresses in our emergency communications. We understand that some parents/guardians were concerned when their students received the message about the alleged threat sent late Wednesday evening, Sept. 11. We have removed student email addresses from the emergency communications list. They will only be notified when there is a severe and immediate risk, such as a tornado warning. We apologize for any undue stress this caused our students and their parents/guardians.

If a neighboring district decides to initiate a status change in response to a risk – a lockdown, for example – and send a notification to their stakeholders, that does not mean that we will follow suit automatically. We will assess risks based on verified facts within KSD and communicate accordingly.

If it’s age-appropriate, we ask that you talk to your student about the seriousness of making a threat. Please help us emphasize to all students that making a threat against a public school whether it occurs on social media, in conversation, as writing on a bathroom wall, or in any other format has serious legal and disciplinary consequences. Issuing a threat via social media, text message, email, or similar means is a federal crime. As a district, we will process all incidents in fulfillment of our district’s policies with support from our Kearney Police Department. 

Please help us stop the spread of rumors. Talk to your student about reporting any threatening post or communication to our school staff and police. We will continue to encourage an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything that might be suspicious or out of the ordinary; prompt reporting is important in helping us to be proactive in maintaining a safe school environment. If you see a social media threat, please don’t forward or repost it. Instead, take a screenshot and share it with our school administrators and police. Sharing the post makes it harder to find out who started it and slows down the investigation. 

Do not seek answers on social media. If you have a question, please contact your school office directly; you can also contact the KSD central office at (816) 628-4116 or communications@ksdr1.net. Anonymous tips can be shared using the Scholastic Crime Stoppers program by calling (816) 474-TIPS or visiting KCCrimeStoppers.com.

Our commitment to you is to do all we can to keep our students and staff safe. Student safety matters most.

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UPDATE

Thank you for your patience as we respond to the challenges and concerns that have arisen recently in our community. The well-being of our students is placed in our care every day that classes are in session. We take that responsibility very seriously. Safety matters most.

We do have an update to share regarding the reported threat from last night. SRO Adam Kirkland, law enforcement and administrators conducted a thorough investigation after the tip was reported. It was determined that the alleged threat was unfounded.

It is clear from the feedback that we received that our families appreciated seeing KPD officers at our schools today. There will continue to be increased law enforcement presence in and around our campuses while classes are in session tomorrow.

We encourage you to speak with your students about the seriousness of school safety. If you or your student become aware of factual information about a concern or threat, the best course of action is to report that directly to your school or the district. Anonymous tips can be shared using the Scholastic Crime Stoppers program by calling (816) 474-TIPS or visiting KCCrimeStoppers.com.

ORIGINAL MESSAGE

In the evening on Sept. 11, Kearney School District received an anonymous tip through the state’s Courage2Report system about a possible threat of potential violence involving our schools. Our administration, the Kearney Police Department and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and responding appropriately.

Classes are being held today, Sept. 12, with heightened security. KPD is providing additional officers on our campuses as we respond to help ensure the safety of our students.

We are aware that the recent school shootings in Georgia have raised fears among students, families and staff members. Be assured that our top priority every day is safety and security. That is true even when this issue is not a topic of discussion in the news media and on social media sites like Facebook.

All KSD employees, students, families, and community members are encouraged to report anything they see, hear, or are made aware of that may impact a school. If you see or hear something concerning, please contact a KSD employee as quickly as possible. Anonymous tips can be shared using the Scholastic Crime Stoppers program by calling (816) 474-TIPS or visiting KCCrimeStoppers.com.

We will provide updates in a timely manner as needed. Questions can be directed to communications@ksdr1.net.

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

The most important change to the MOU is that KSD’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. KSD 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.

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.

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Mr. Tuttle and his team produced a video to train adults how to help keep their children safe from those threats. He is generously making this video available free for KSD community members for the next seven days. Here’s a link to access the online video: Stop Trafficking Project Adult Training

Fill out the information in the form and then add the following code in the “Coupon Code” box and click “APPLY” to view the video for FREE FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS: kearney-sd-june-24100OFF

In addition to this limited-time offer from the Stop Trafficking Project, we are also encouraging you to view the webinar recording presented by our online safety partner Linewize on May 23, 2024, in order to help parents/guardians familiarize themselves with the tools available to help them keep their children safe and well in the digital world.

In this video, Linewize’s Director of Wellbeing, Teodora Pavkovic, shared insights into some of the main online safety risks children encounter today and the strategies to minimize them, and guided viewers through using tools like the ABC approach to children’s online safety and your district’s Online Safety Hub. Former school principal and Linewize’s Director of Community, Greg Hall, did a live demo of the Qustodio parent app and guided viewers through the set-up process.

This video and additional information about the Qustodio Parents App and Linewize resources are available on our website.

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Kearney, Mo., May 14, 2024: Student survey data about digital safety in the Kearney School District community is raising alarms about the negative impact of devices like cell phones.

This winter, KSD invited Stop Trafficking Project Founder Russ Tuttle to share presentations about digital safety with employees, students, parents/guardians and community members. After his presentations at Kearney Middle School, Kearney Junior High and Kearney High School, students were asked to take a voluntary, anonymous survey. 

Mr. Tuttle’s team compiled the survey results and recently shared a report with KSD administrators. The student survey results reinforce Mr. Tuttle’s core message that virtually every child in every community is vulnerable to the dangers posed by digital devices, particularly cell phones, according to KSD Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Kopp. Mrs. Kopp was responsible for bringing Tuttle to the district.

“Their report is concerning, and we feel it is important for the community to see what our students are telling us about their online experiences,” Kopp said. “Together, we can empower our students to make responsible choices online and maximize their learning potential.” 

6th Grade

Out of 265 students surveyed, 85 students reported that they had viewed pornography; 35 students have received nude photos or videos (11 reported it to an adult); and 37 students reported that they had met up with a stranger.

7th Grade

Out of 241 students surveyed, 110 students reported that they had viewed pornography; 65 students had received nude photos or videos (10 reported it to an adult); and 36 students reported that they had met up with a stranger.

8th/9th Grades

Out of 450 students surveyed, 178 students reported that they had viewed pornography; 258 students had received nude photos or videos (18 reported it to an adult); and 70 students reported that they had met up with a stranger.

10th – 12th Grades

Out of 513 students surveyed, 332 students reported that they had viewed pornography; 223 students had received nude photos or videos (24 reported it to an adult); and 87 students reported that they had met up with a stranger.

“Even if you factor in a margin of error, these results are very concerning,” Kopp said. “We know that a significant portion of students are spending more time than recommended on digital devices, so it is imperative that we are diligent in helping students navigate the digital landscape in a safe manner.”

KSD’s top priority as a school system is to keep our students safe and secure; that includes digital safety. To help address this challenge, we are relaunching our Linewize Online Safety Hub and Qustodio app. 

The Online Safety Hub is a great resource for information, updates and guidance. Qustodio offers features to help parents/guardians better manage and monitor their student’s online activities, ensuring their safety and promoting healthy screen habits.

In the coming days, parents/guardians will be receiving more information about both the Linewize Online Safety Hub and the Qustodio app. We highly encourage them to explore Qustodio and leverage its powerful tools to create a safer and more balanced digital environment for their children. 

KSD is also working with Linewize to host an introductory webinar starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. This webinar will include information about how to sign-up and utilize the Qustodio app, plus some basic guidance around digital safety and security. More information and a link to register will be posted soon on the district website.

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Please contact your child’s school counselor if you believe your child needs extra support as a result of this terrible incident. Please call or text 988 to connect at any time with a mental health professional if you are having overwhelming feelings or experiencing a mental health crisis and need immediate support.

Here are some suggestions from the American Psychological Association for parents/guardians as they help their children cope with this incident: Helping your children manage distress in the aftermath of a shooting

Please take care of yourself and your family, and let us know how we can be of assistance.

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Kearney, Mo., January 31, 2024: Kearney School District parents/guardians and community members are invited and encouraged to learn how to help identify, prevent and respond to human trafficking during a community forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19 at Kearney High School.

This community forum will be led by Russ Tuttle, President and Founder of the Stop Trafficking Project. His organization uses communication, leadership, team development and compassion to combat domestic minor sex trafficking.

Free on-site childcare will be available during the forum. The content is appropriate for people who are at least 18 years old. KHS is located at 715 E. 19th St. in Kearney, Mo.

KSD’s highest priority is to help ensure the safety, security and well-being of our students. To that end, Mr. Tuttle led training for all district staff when they returned from their winter break on Jan. 8.

Tuttle’s session centered on the fact that pre-teens and teenagers have immature brains, can often make impetuous decisions and have powerful digital tools that they carry around in the form of cell phones. These factors can combine with toxic long-term consequences for victims who make one bad choice that pulls them into the grasp of traffickers.

The value of that staff training led Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services Jennifer Kopp to invite Tuttle to provide similar guidance for students, parents/guardians and community members.

Students in grades K-12 will participate in fun and age-appropriate training sessions with Tuttle on Feb. 20-21 to learn how they can help protect themselves from the dangers of human trafficking. Parents/guardians have the opportunity for their children to opt out of the sessions.

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Kearney, Mo., January 10, 2024: Team KSD is alert and ready to respond to signs of human trafficking thanks to their recent professional development.

Kearney School District staff members returned from their winter break and spent several hours learning how to help identify and prevent human trafficking and support victims during an all-district professional development session led by Russ Tuttle on Monday, Jan. 8 at Kearney High School.

Mr. Tuttle is the President and Founder of the Stop Trafficking Project, an organization that uses communication, leadership, team development and compassion to combat domestic minor sex trafficking. He led the roughly 500 KSD employees through training that included the signs that a child is being trafficked, the scope of the problem, how to help protect students and the steps that need to be taken when a victim is identified.

One of the biggest mistakes made by responsible adults is believing that human trafficking can’t happen in their family or community, Tuttle said. In fact, traffickers target vulnerable suburban and rural communities.

Most people have a very narrow view of the problem based on the news and popular media, Tuttle explained. They believe that trafficking is most often committed by strangers in urban environments, which prevents them from seeing the dangers that exist closer to home.

“I want to expand your view of sex trafficking,” Tuttle said. “Sexual exploitation is often committed by family members in communities just like yours. The victims can be straight-A students who play three sports, participate in choir and band and are president of their FFA chapter. It only takes one mistake to make them vulnerable.”

Tuttle’s training centered on the fact that pre-teens and teenagers have immature brains, can often make impetuous decisions and have powerful digital tools that they carry around in the form of cell phones. These factors can combine with toxic long-term consequences for victims who make one bad choice that pulls them into the grasp of traffickers.

Tuttle cited the real-life example of a pre-teen girl who was a standout softball player in her small-town Kansas school. Angry at her mother, she started sharing explicit images of herself online with a stranger. This eventually led to her lifelong struggle to free herself from a series of sex traffickers.

Openness and honesty are very powerful tools that can be used to both help prevent and address human trafficking, according to Tuttle. For a variety of reasons, children can hide behavior – like using social media apps to post explicit imagery – that exposes them to being exploited by traffickers. It’s the role of parents/guardians and other responsible adults to proactively teach children how to use devices safely and what to do when they feel unsafe.

“I’m not angry with kids and I’m not against technology,” Tuttle said. “My mission is to tell kids they don’t need to feel embarrassed, afraid or ashamed to talk to an adult.”

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. KSD Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services Jennifer Kopp invited Tuttle to lead the all-staff professional development because Missouri is a hub of human trafficking and public educators have an opportunity to be part of the solution.

“Several factors make our area a prime location for human trafficking, including our geographic location and interstate system,” Mrs. Kopp said. “As educators, we have direct access to students and can be pivotal in helping to raise awareness with our students and families.”

KSD recently released the Qustodio Parents App and the KSD Online Safety Hub, two valuable tools designed to enhance online safety for students and provide parents/guardians with helpful insights into their children’s digital activities. Qustodio, powered by KSD’s content filter partner Linewize, is a powerful app designed to help parents/guardians monitor and manage their children’s digital activities on school devices. The KSD Online Safety Hub, also powered by Linewize, is a comprehensive resource that contains expert advice authored by leading safety professionals.

If you suspect someone is being forced to engage in any activity from which they can’t leave—whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work or other activity—call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733). Information is available online at humantraffickinghotline.org. If someone is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

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Kearney, Mo., October 4, 2022: Kearney School District is launching the new Hall Pass Visitor Management System as part of the ongoing work to create an even more secure learning environment for students and staff.

Hall Pass is a fast, effective way of ensuring that families and other visitors can get access to their schools while also keeping anyone on the sex offender registry and other restricted individuals away from students and staff. The system is now installed and operating in the front offices at all KSD schools.

“Safety and security are our top priorities in Kearney School District,” Superintendent Emily Miller said. “We value the trust that families place in us with their children, and are continuing to refine the ways we make our schools safer and more secure. Hall Pass is one more way for us to help meet that goal.”

When entering a school, each visitor must present a government-issued ID at the front office. The ID is scanned, and in seconds, Hall Pass conducts a check against the national database of registered sex offenders and a list of restricted visitors. This process will be conducted with anyone who may come into contact with a student, including parents/guardians who are picking up their children.

If the visitor is cleared, Hall Pass will print a time-stamped and dated photo badge for the visitor to wear while on school grounds. The badge will include the reason for and location of the visit.

If the visitor is found on the restricted list, and he or she has a pre-approved, legitimate, school-related reason for the visit (a parent meeting with the principal or teacher, for instance), that person will be supervised by a KSD representative in a secure area away from students. Otherwise, school leaders and safety personnel will be alerted, and he/she will be politely escorted off the property.

The following government-issued IDs are accepted:

• State driver’s license
• State issued ID
• Passport card
• U.S. Military ID
• Permanent resident card

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With the start of the new school year, the Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to encourage parents/guardians to include conversations about safety when preparing their students for school. It’s also important that drivers be prepared for the change in traffic patterns as students begin another year of instruction. In 2021, one person was killed and 217 injured in traffic crashes involving a school bus. In Missouri last year, 794 traffic crashes involved school buses. Troopers hope everyone will review these safety tips:

Motorists

Always be vigilant, but especially near school zones, playgrounds, bicycle paths, and crosswalks when schools are in session. Expect pedestrian and bicycle traffic to increase near schools on days where the weather is good. When schools are in session, drivers should expect a change in traffic patterns ─ school buses, parents taking their children to school, and many young drivers will join other motorists on the road and affect the morning and afternoon commute. Whatever route you drive, expect this additional traffic and prepare by allowing extra time to reach your destination.

Missouri law states that on a two-lane road, if a school bus is stopped and displaying warning signals while loading or unloading children, drivers must stop when meeting and following the bus. However, it is only necessary to stop on a four-lane highway when following the bus. Drivers, when you see a stopped school bus, stay alert and follow the law. Children may not be aware of traffic and dart unexpectedly into the roadway.

Students

If you’re walking to school, stay alert! Cross the street at intersections or marked crosswalks and never between parked cars. Use sidewalks when they are available. If it is necessary to walk on the roadway, stay close to the left edge and step off to the left when traffic approaches. Never dash into the street after a friend or to retrieve something.

Riding a bicycle to school is a fun way to travel. If you’re riding your bike, be sure to wear a helmet and obey all traffic signs and signals. Ride as near to the right side of the roadway as is safe and use the proper hand signals when you plan to change directions, slow, or stop. Never carry passengers. Keep both hands on the handlebars except when signaling. It’s important to maintain your bicycle in good condition.

If you ride a school bus, check the weather and dress accordingly. Wait in line for the bus on the shoulder or sidewalk. Use the handrail when getting on or off the bus. Never try to retrieve items that fall under the bus and walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing the street. Sit quietly on the bus and keep the aisle clear. If anything goes wrong, stay calm and follow the instructions of the bus driver.

Most traffic crashes involving young drivers (under the age of 21) occur between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., when school typically lets out. Many of these drivers are young and inexperienced. Parents: It is important to encourage those young drivers to remember driving is a full-time job. Using a cell phone, texting, or adjusting the radio can be the distraction that leads to a traffic crash. Texting is against the law for anyone under the age of 22.

Parents

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about riding a bus, walking, or driving to school in a safe manner. If they ride a bike, please make sure they wear a helmet and follow traffic laws.

Please talk to your children about the Courage2ReportMO program, which provides a safe and confidential way to report any concerns regarding their safety or the safety of others. These concerns may include: assault, bullying/repeated harassment, cyberbullying, fighting, guns, homicide, human trafficking, knife, planned school attack, imminent school shooting, school shooting threat, sexual offense, suicide-other person (3rd party), or a terrorism threat (extremism). Those reporting their concerns may remain anonymous. C2R provides a “sooner is safer” tool to report real-time concerns 24 hours a day. There are several ways concerned persons may submit a C2R report:

• Through an Apple or Google Play Courage2Report mobile app
• By making an online report via the patrol’s Courage2Report website
• By speaking confidentially with a trained professional at (866) 748-7047

C2R Missouri calls and tips (web and mobile app) are answered 24 hours a day, 365 days per year by trained communications professionals. C2R Missouri requires a disposition report be returned on each tip report, notifying the Missouri State Highway Patrol of the outcome. For more information about C2R Missouri awareness and education resources, call the C2R Missouri Administrative Office at (866) 362-6422.

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