As we close the 2025-2026 academic year, we want to take a moment to celebrate a spring semester filled with learning, achievement, service and Bulldog pride.
Explore KSD's 2026 Summer Camps and Activities
Summer is a great time for Bulldogs to stay active, build skills, try something new and stay connected with classmates, coaches and activity sponsors.
Kearney School District has created a new Summer Camps and Activities webpage to help families find opportunities in one convenient place. The page includes youth camps, high school camps and clinics, tryouts, team activities, summer conditioning, open gyms and summer leagues.
Families can view dates, times, grade levels, locations, flyers, registration links and coach or sponsor contact information at: www.ksdr1.net/camps
Please review the details for each activity before registering. Some opportunities are open to all students in the listed grade levels, while others are designed for specific teams, returning participants or invite-only groups.
We are excited to offer so many ways for students to learn, grow, compete, create and have fun this summer.
Go Bulldogs!
Kearney High School Track & Field Is Headed to State!
Please join us in congratulating the Kearney High School Track & Field student-athletes who qualified for the MSHSAA Class 4 State Championships!
Our Bulldogs will compete this Friday and Saturday, May 29-30, at Adkins Stadium at Jefferson City High School in Jefferson City, Mo. The KHS state qualifiers include the following athletes.
Kearney High School is inviting golfers and Bulldog supporters to join us for the 2026 KHS Athletic Hall of Fame Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 25, at The Club at Marimack in Kearney.
Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The tournament will be a four-person scramble and is limited to the first 18 teams. The cost is $240 per team and includes a catered BBQ lunch.
This is always a fun event that supports the KHS Athletic Hall of Fame and raises money for the Bob Pence KHS Hall of Fame Scholarship, which is awarded to two Kearney High School seniors each year.
Please join us in congratulating two Kearney High School students who recently earned national recognition during the Journalism Education Association National High School Journalism Convention in Minneapolis!
KHS Publications and Broadcast students attended the convention earlier this spring, where they competed alongside student journalists from across the country. They also spent time learning from speakers, attending breakout sessions on topics of their choice and building connections as a team.
Senior Ryan Pedee earned an Honorable Mention for On-Site Package Editing, and junior Harrison Young earned an Honorable Mention for Videography.
We are proud of these talented Bulldogs for representing KHS so well on the national stage. Congratulations to Ryan, Harrison, teacher Jackie Uptegrove and the entire KHS journalism program!
2026 Back-to-School Dates Are Here!
We know summer has only just begun, but it’s never too early to help our families start planning for another great year in Kearney School District!
We have prepared our key 2026 Back-to-School dates, including schedule pick-ups, transition events, open houses and the first day of classes. We will continue posting more information and updates at www.ksdr1.net/back-to-school.
The first day of school for the 2026-2027 academic year will be Tuesday, Aug. 25. Here are some important dates to mark on your calendar:
Puppy Pound
Back-to-School Open House: 12 to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14
ECSE & 5-Day Pre-K
Back-to-School Open House: 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20
Elementary Schools
Back-to-School Open House: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20
Kearney Middle School
6th-Grade Transition: 8 to 11 a.m. and 12 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12
7th-Grade Schedule Pick-Up: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
Schedule Pick-Up As Needed: Friday, Aug. 14
Back-to-School Open House: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20
Kearney Junior High
8th-Grade Transition (Last Name A-L): 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
8th-Grade Transition (Last Name M-Z): 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
9th-Grade Schedule Pick-Up: 12:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
Back-to-School Open House: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20
Kearney High School
11th-Grade Schedule Pick-Up: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12
12th-Grade Schedule Pick-Up: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12
10th-Grade Orientation/Schedule Pick-Up: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13
Back-to-School Open House: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20
We are excited to welcome our students and families back for another year of learning, growth and Bulldog pride. Enjoy your summer, and we’ll see you soon!
Kids Club Fall Enrollment Is Now Open for New Families
Kearney School District is excited to open fall enrollment for Kids Club, our before- and after-school care program for elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Enrollment for families who are not currently enrolled in Kids Club opened on Monday, May 11.
Kids Club provides a safe, caring and convenient option for KSD families who need before- or after-school care during the school year. The program is available at each of our elementary schools and is designed to support students while giving parents/guardians peace of mind.
Please note that enrollment is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage interested families to review the information and complete the enrollment process as soon as possible.
Thank you for trusting KSD to support your child before and after the school day. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our students and families through Kids Club!
Kindergarten Enrollment Now Open!
Kearney School District’s kindergarten enrollment is open for the 2026-2027 academic year! If you have a child who will be age five on or before July 31, 2026, this is the time to enroll them in kindergarten! Start the kindergarten enrollment process by clicking the link provided below.
If you already have a username and password: Enter that information into the windows on the left side of the page to access the Registration Gateway, then click “Add a Student” from the options on the left
If you are new to this system: Click the “Registration Gateway” link and then click “Start” on the next screen to create a username and password
Parents/guardians will be required to provide a birth certificate, a record of required immunizations, and proof of residence for their child during kindergarten enrollment. Use our online district boundary map to locate the elementary school your child will attend.
After completing the enrollment process, one of our Parents As Teachers program Parent Educators will contact you to schedule a kindergarten screening. Parent Educators screen to help KSD plan for classes and the needs of each incoming kindergarten class. Parent Educators will also provide at-home activities and information about summer programs, as well as answer any questions parents/guardians may have.
All families are encouraged to fill out the Online Meal Application Form. Completing this form allows families to qualify for free and reduced meal prices and also allows KSD to potentially become eligible for additional academic resources and funding.
Kindergarten Orientation events will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at each of KSD’s elementary schools. Stay tuned for details. This is an opportunity for families to receive helpful information about KSD, tour their school and meet their child’s teachers and building principal. We’re excited to welcome the Bulldogs Class of 2039!
This annual event helps KSD students and families get ready for the start of a new school year by connecting them with school supplies, clothing and other helpful resources. Last year’s Resource Fair served 285 students, one of the highest turnouts since COVID. We are excited to continue working together to make sure every Bulldog has a strong start to the school year.
The 2026 Resource Fair will be held at Kearney Junior High:
Thank you to our KSD social workers, counselors, staff members and community volunteers who help make this event possible each year. Their work reflects the very best of what it means to be part of Team KSD: showing up for kids, supporting families and helping our students feel ready for the first day of school.
Please pre-register today and help us spread the word to any KSD family who may benefit from this opportunity.
And last but not least...
Dogwood Elementary Celebrates Two Decades of Education Excellence
Dogwood Elementary School celebrated a very special milestone this month: 20 years of growth, learning and community.
Families, students, staff members, alumni and friends gathered to mark Dogwood’s 20th anniversary with food, games, student-led tours and plenty of time to reconnect on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The evening was also a great chance to see the results of Dogwood’s recent renovation and library addition.
Most of all, it was a reminder that schools are so much more than buildings. Dogwood has been shaped over the past two decades by the students, families, teachers, staff members and community members who have filled it with Bulldog pride.
Congratulations to Dogwood Elementary on 20 amazing years. Here’s to the next chapter!
