Kearney School District will host the final meeting in the initial round of our Great Schools = Great Community public engagement series from 6 to 7:30 p.m. this evening, Sept. 17, at Kearney Middle School.

This is an important opportunity for families, staff members, residents and community partners to review information, ask questions and share feedback before final decisions are made later this year.

KSD leaders will share information about the district’s academic success, responsible fiscal stewardship, long-term financial stability, school finance, possible strategies under review and the kinds of tradeoffs the district may need to consider. Most importantly, we want to hear from our community.

All KSD stakeholders are welcome to attend. You do not need to be connected to Kearney Middle School to participate.

A separate online survey will also be available soon for residents who are not able to attend in person.

Thank you to everyone who has already taken time to attend, ask questions and share feedback. Great schools and a great community are built together, and your voice matters in this process.

Learn more at www.ksdr1.net/GreatSchools.

The Kearney High School Bulldogs will take on Rockhurst this Friday, Sept. 18. Bulldog fans planning to attend can find ticket information, parking details and livestream information in the Kearney vs. Rockhurst Game Guide.

Come out and support the Bulldogs! Go Dogs!

The Kearney School District Board of Education will hold its annual public hearing to consider the district’s property tax rate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the KSD Administrative Office, 425 W. Washington St.

The annual hearing provides an opportunity for community members to learn about and provide input on the property tax rates proposed to support the district’s budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

KSD’s proposed total property tax rate is $4.4222 per $100 of assessed valuation, compared with $4.4220 for the previous year. The proposed rate includes $3.2320 for the district’s Incidental Fund and $1.1902 for Debt Service.

Community members are welcome to attend the hearing and provide comments before the Board of Education considers setting the district’s 2026 property tax rate.

Wednesday, Sept. 23 | 7 p.m.

KSD Administrative Office

425 W. Washington St., Kearney

In a continuation of a great community tradition, Kearney High School is getting ready to Race to Homecoming 2026!

This year’s KHS Homecoming Parade will begin at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, bringing KSD students, activities, teams and families together with the community for an afternoon of Bulldog pride. Our schools will have a half-day schedule. Parade participants will begin lining up at 12:30 p.m. The parade will begin just east of the railroad tracks and follow the traditional route through downtown before ending at the First Baptist Church parking lot. Community members may begin gathering along the route east of the railroad tracks.

Congratulations to Kearney High School senior Luke Vanderstel, who has been named a Commended Student in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program!

This national recognition honors students who demonstrated exceptional academic promise through their performance on the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

About 34,000 students nationwide are being recognized as Commended Students this year. These students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program competition. This recognition celebrates an outstanding academic achievement and the tremendous potential these students have demonstrated.

Please join us in congratulating Luke Vanderstel on this well-deserved honor. We are proud to have another Bulldog representing Kearney School District at the national level!