• Dogwood Elementary
• Hawthorne Elementary
• Kearney Early Education Center
• Kearney Middle School
• Kearney Junior High
• Kearney High School
• Southview Elementary

These awards recognize the top 15 percent of food service providers overseen by the county. In addition, Dogwood, the EEC, KHS and Southview earned Gold Standard Awards for earning the Food Safety Excellence Award three years or more in a row.

Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE) provides all services in KSD’s school cafeterias. SFE’s KSD staff is led by Director of Food Service Angie Lyman.

“Congratulations to Angie and the entire SFE team for their outstanding diligence and hard work on behalf of our students, staff members and visitors,” Superintendent Emily Miller said. “This is another example of how we go above and beyond to serve our families.”

The Food Safety Excellence Award recognizes food establishments that continue to successfully follow the Clay County Food Code, exhibit outstanding food safety and sanitation practices, and achieve exceptional inspection results during the calendar year, according to a press release from the public health center. To qualify for the award, honorees must meet multiple criteria such as having been open and operating for the full year with no repeated violations, no follow-up inspections needed, and no confirmed cases of foodborne illnesses.

“We are grateful for the hard work these establishments put in last year to not only meet but exceed the health department’s high standards of safety,” said Robert Gilliland, section chief of Environmental Health Protection. “We appreciate their partnership in protecting our community from foodborne illnesses, waterborne illnesses and other hazards.”

In 2023, the Environmental Health Protection section of Clay County Public Health Center conducted 1,530 routine food establishment inspections and 297 temporary food event inspections, and investigated 114 food-related complaints.

The post Several KSD Schools Honored for Food Safety Excellence appeared first on Kearney School District.

The annual Back-to-School Resource Fair features school supplies, backpacks, gently used clothing and other community resources for students in need. The event is designed to ensure that every child in KSD has the support they need to thrive in the upcoming school year.

Families are asked to register their children for the resource fair in order to help organizers plan and run the event. Visit bit.ly/ksd-resource-fair-23 to complete a short, online registration form.

DOWNLOAD: 2023 Back-to-School Resource Fair Flyer

There are a number of ways for community members, businesses and organizations to support the resource fair:

School Supply Donations – All students who attend the resource fair get brand-new school supplies to help start their school year off just like any other student. School supplies can be donated on Aug. 7-9 at Hawthorne Elementary.

Clothing Donations – New and gently used clothes are needed for families. Items for school-age children are particularly important. Kearney High School spirit gear is always appreciated. It is requested that donations of underwear, socks and shoes be new items only.

Monetary Donations – Monetary donations directly fund the fair and can be made to: Kearney R-1 School District, Attn – Back to School Resource Fair, 150 West State Route 92, Kearney, MO 64060

Volunteer – The fair is a great opportunity for individuals, families and organizations to volunteer for community service. Visit the online sign-up form to register as a volunteer.

For more information about the 2022 KSD Back to School Resource Fair, contact Meeghan Masters at mastersm@ksdr1.net.

KSD’s 2022-2023 academic year starts on Tuesday, Aug. 22. Important back-to-school information is available and updated online at www.ksdr1.net/back-to-school.

To learn more about how to enroll a child in KSD, visit our enrollment webpage, call (816) 628-4116 or email reghelp@ksdr1.net.

The post 2023 Back-to-School Resource Fair is Aug. 10-11 appeared first on Kearney School District.

Set up BusZone:

1. Download the BusZone app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Enter the School Access Code: 3033KSD
3. In the search field, enter the bus or route number you want to follow. Complete this step for all the buses your students ride throughout the week.
4. Enter your child’s unique student ID. This is the same ID you use to access your child’s info in PowerSchool.
5. Create alert zones around drop-off and pick-up points.

When your child’s bus enters an alert zone, you will receive a notification by email or text.

DOWNLOAD: BusZone Info Flyer

Durham expects to launch the new BusZone app starting on Monday, June 5. Visit the BusZone website to read or download a guide for parents/guardians. Kearney School District is not responsible for the functions or content of BusZone. Please email buszone3033@nellc.com if you have questions about the BusZone app.

The post Download the New BusZone App for KSD Families appeared first on Kearney School District.

In essence, this program reimburses qualified families for school meals their child may have missed due to absences caused by COVID-19. 

DO NOT CONTACT KEARNEY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR YOUR SCHOOL FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR P-EBT CARD OR BENEFITS. You can use the online chat feature at mydss.mo.gov or call (855) 373-4636.

DOWNLOAD: P-EBT Letter to Families 

(NOTE: Please email KSD Data Coordinator at thomastami@ksdr1.net if you have questions about your child’s COVID-related absences during the 2021-2022 academic year.)

The post PUBLIC NOTICE: Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Benefits appeared first on Kearney School District.

Kearney, Mo., July 14, 2022: Kearney School District is partnering with Fulfillment House to provide an option for families with children entering grades K-5 to purchase their school supplies in a kit to be delivered to classrooms shortly before the beginning of the academic year.

The KSD School Supply Kits initiative expands an effort already started by Parent-Teacher Organization members in the district to make it very convenient for families to get nearly everything their children will need to start school in the fall.

“Families always have a lot to juggle and we want to make the back-to-school process as easy as possible,” Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services Jennifer Kopp said. “We see this as a great opportunity to work with the people at Fulfillment House to help serve our entire community in a really positive way.”

Visit www.ksdr1.net/supplykits today to order KSD School Supply Kits for your children. Click on the drop-down and choose your child’s grade level, school attending, and enter the last and first name of the student. Click “Add to Cart.” Follow this process for each student you choose to purchase supplies for and then proceed to the cart for payment.

The KSD School Supply Kits will include the items listed under each grade level – minus the backpack, earbuds/headphones and optional supplies – included on the 2022-2023 Elementary School Supply Lists.

The number of available kits is limited so that there are adequate supplies for everyone who orders. KSD School Supply Kits will be available for pick-up at your student’s school during the annual back-to-school open house. Elementary school open houses will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 18.

The 2022-2023 academic year starts on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Visit www.ksdr1.net/back-to-school for important information and valuable resources to prepare for classes to begin.

The mission of Fulfillment House is to provide meaningful and enriching employment opportunities for adults with special needs. Fulfillment House staff inspire confidence and a greater level of independence for their associates by providing high-quality fulfillment, shipping, warehousing and inventory services to their clients. Learn more at thefulfillmenthouse.org.

The post KSD School Supply Kits Are an Easy Button for the Start of School appeared first on Kearney School District.

The annual Back-to-School Resource Fair features school supplies, backpacks, gently used clothing and other community resources for students in need. The event is designed to ensure that every child in KSD has the support they need to thrive in the upcoming school year.

Families are asked to register their children for the resource fair in order to help organizers plan and run the event. Visit bit.ly/ksd-resource-fair-22 to complete a short, online registration form.

DOWNLOAD: 2022 Back-to-School Resource Fair Flyer

There are a number of ways for community members, businesses and organizations to support the resource fair:

School Supply Donations – All students who attend the resource fair get brand new school supplies to help start their school year off just like any other student. A list of requested school supplies is available online. School supplies can be donated at the KSD Administrative Office, which is located at 150 W. State Route 92, Kearney, MO.

Clothing Donations – New and gently used clothes are needed for families. Items for school-age children are particularly important. Kearney High School spirit gear is always appreciated. It is requested that donations of underwear, socks and shoes be new items only.

Monetary Donations – Monetary donations directly fund the fair and can be made to: Kearney R-1 School District, Attn – Back to School Resource Fair, 150 West State Route 92, Kearney, MO 64060

Volunteer – The fair is a great opportunity for individuals, families and organizations to volunteer for community service. Visit the online sign-up form to register as a volunteer.

For more information about the 2022 KSD Back to School Resource Fair, contact Meeghan Masters at mastersm@ksdr1.net.

KSD’s 2022-2023 academic year starts on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Important back-to-school information is available and being updated online at www.ksdr1.net/back-to-school.

To learn more about how to enroll a child in KSD, visit our enrollment webpage, call (816) 628-4116 or email communications@ksdr1.net.

The post 2022 Back-to-School Resource Fair appeared first on Kearney School District.

This is School Nurses Day 2022. Please help us celebrate and honor all of our amazing School Nurses:

• KHS – Melissa Stokes, RN
• KJH – Rebekah Schroeder, RN
• KMS – Candice Walker, RN
• Southview Elementary – Kim Watkins, LPN
• Kearney Elementary – Lori Walker, RN
• Hawthorne Elementary – Barb Johnson, RN
• Dogwood Elementary – Caitlyn Harstad, RN
• Float Nurse – Danielle Walters, LPN
• District Nurse and KEEC – Karen Hughes, BSN, RN, NCSN

These health care professionals play an integral role in the teaching and learning that happens every day in our schools. They address a stunning array of issues for our students and families, and they do so with grace and expertise. We quite simply would not reach our goals without their contributions. 

School Nurses: you have our respect and gratitude! Thank you for your extraordinary service!

The post Thank You, Bulldog Nurses appeared first on Kearney School District.

Kearney, Mo., May 10, 2022: Kearney School District Nurse Karen Hughes knows that minutes can mean a lifetime when it comes to drug overdoses, which is why she helped lead the effort to ensure that KSD staff were prepared and equipped to respond.

May 10, 2022, is the first-ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The goal of this day is to raise public awareness about the growing fentanyl public health crisis and to focus national attention on the issue. The day is being organized by Song for Charlie – a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about counterfeit pills – along with dozens of other national and local parent groups, community organizations, and businesses.

Leaders of KSD started responding to the fentanyl crisis in 2019. That’s when Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) alerted local public service agencies and school districts that the powerful opiate was becoming readily available in Clay County. Assistant Superintendent for HR and Student Services Jeff Morrison quickly began collaborating with district nurses to identify steps KSD should take to help mitigate the danger for our students, families and staff.

“When your DHSS identifies your county as a concern, you need to respond to that,” Dr. Morrison said. “So, we started talking about it as a team with our School Resource Officer, school nurses and administrators.”

The KSD responders learned that Narcan nasal spray is the easiest and most effective treatment for fentanyl overdoses. Nurse Hughes took the initiative to find a program that provides the spray free of charge for secondary schools. Narcan was made available at Kearney Middle School, Kearney Junior High School and Kearney High School. In addition, select staff members were trained how and when to use the spray.

“We train our school nurses and other staff members to identify the symptoms of an overdose and respond,” Hughes said. “There’s no harmful side effect of giving Narcan to someone you think is overdosing. Our directive is to go ahead and give it and we will get EMS on the way.”

All that preparation and training paid off earlier this school year when a student started experiencing overdose symptoms after taking illicit fentanyl-laced pills. Staff responded within a couple of minutes and were able to administer two doses of Narcan, which likely saved the student’s life.

That crisis emphasized for Hughes why it’s so important to have anti-overdose medications on-hand in schools and be trained to respond, rather than waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.

“With an overdose, brain damage can start as early as three to five minutes, then death,” Hughes said. “So, having the Narcan available gives us a much better chance of a positive outcome than simply waiting for EMS, even if they can make it to us within 5 minutes.”

KSD’s response to the fentanyl crisis includes collaborating with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Kearney Police Department and Clay County Public Health Department to make the entire community aware of the dangers of illegal opiates. The district hosted a public presentation about the crisis by the Sheriff’s Office this spring at Kearney High School. Deputies noted that it was one of the most well-attended presentations they had held thus far.

“This is a great example of what we as public service providers can accomplish when we work together for the benefit of our residents,” Morrison said. “I appreciate the DHSS and our local law enforcement agencies for bringing this to our attention. They’re trying to be proactive and help us deal with all of these types of situations.”

Visit fentanylawarenessday.org to learn more about the fentanyl crisis and how to respond.

The post KSD Staff Ready to Respond to Opiate Overdoses appeared first on Kearney School District.