Kearney Public Schools Administration Office, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The Kearney Public Schools Board of Education approved a number of revised board policies, some related to student discipline and parental engagement, during their meeting on Monday, June 9.
Superintendent Jason Mundorf said the revisions ensure the district stays in compliance with state statue and noted the Nebraska Legislature recently closed their most recent session.
Some of the items addressed student dress, “Further, students will also be permitted to wear attire,
including religious attire, natural and protective hairstyles, adornments or other characteristics associated with race, national origin, or religion, as long as the attire does not interfere with the educational process and does not endanger another person, as determined by the administration.”
“No student shall be disproportionately affected by a dress code or grooming policy enforcement because of the student’s gender, race, color, religion, disability, or national origin. No school staff shall permanently or temporarily alter or cut a student’s hair,” the policy stated.
Mundorf noted this was added based on a haircutting incident in a Nebraska school that spawned a federal civil rights case.
It was also noted a student dress code violation will be treated as a minor rule violation and not require the student to miss substantial classroom time.
There were other revisions suggested by the district’s law firm that included not allowing computer generated “deep fakes” that were created to bully, harass, intimidate or humiliate a student or staff member.
There were also revisions to parental community engagement.
“In the event any parent, guardian, or educational decisionmaker of a student has a complaint or
objection to textbooks, tests, curriculum materials, activities, digital materials, websites or applications used for learning, training materials for teachers, administrators, or staff, and any other instructional materials, the parent, guardian, or educational decisionmaker may request a personal conference with appropriate school personnel to discuss such concerns,” the revision stated.
“The Superintendent or designee shall prepare a complaint form which may be used by a parent, guardian, or educational decisionmaker to express objections to any such instructional material. Such complaint forms shall seek information including, but not limited to, the specific instructional material complained of, the reason for the complaint, and a proposed resolution of the complaint by the parent, guardian, or educational decisionmaker,” stated the revision.
There were also changes made related to the notice of surveys and that parents and guardians will be notified in advance of school sponsored survey administered to students.
During the discussion of the revised policy changes, board member Drew Blessing expressed that it was difficult that after the Nebraska Legislature ends in June, school boards have too short a time to turn around and understand any new statues put in place and have them ready for the upcoming school year in August.
“We can’t be expected to pass policy like this,” Blessing said. He added that he hopes to see changes to the process.
There were also new and revised board policies that were approved on first reading. And those related to safe driving record standards, behavioral intervention and classroom management.
There were a number of recognitions held during the board meeting.
The first was for Kearney Public Schools Head Athletic Trainer, Brian Haas, who received the Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Outstanding Service Award.
Also, Kearney High School Swimming and Diving Team and Current Head Coach Sarah Coffman for Receiving the 2024-2025 Nebraska Coaches Association Academic Excellence Award.
Last, the Kearney High School Boys Track Team and Head Coach Broc Howard were recognized as the 2025 State Champions and the Individual State Champions and Runners-Up.
The board approved two resignations, which included Tahrae Bonnes, preschool teacher at Bright Futures Preschool and Cale Uhrmacher, special education teacher at Sunrise Middle School, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
Hirings approved included Jocelyn Randall, preschool teacher at Bright Futures Preschool (pending temporary certification) and Krystal Hebb, ELA teacher at Sunrise Middle School, for the 2025-2026 school year.
The board also received a construction update as the summer construction season starts.
It was noted that work is still progressing at Windy Hills with the renovation and addition project. The classrooms and office are mostly complete and flooring in the corridors are in progress.
There is concrete that will need to cure in the kitchen area where a fourth sink has been added.
It was noted that the project is on schedule and under budget.
At Kearney High School, work on “The Paw” expansion continues with the foundation work is mostly done following a significant relocation of utilities. Work on masonry walls will start soon and completion is expected by July 2026.
The work at Central Elementary is continuing and should be wrapped up by December 2025.
Blessing and Mundorf also provided an update after the Nebraska Legislature had closed their most recent session.
Blessing said that ultimately, the most recent session was not overly consequential to education, as things had stalled out toward the end. There were bills passed that approved the creation of a school finance commission and school finance database.
He noted the omni-bus bill, LB 306, faced so many amendments that the overall impact to education districts was minimal.
Mundorf noted that 726 bills were introduced and 322 were passed during the most recent session. He did note there was an interesting shift in the Legislature this year, where some of the senators moved to dilute ballot initiatives that were passed by the voters last November.
He said in the past the Unicameral had served as the “second house” following the voice of the voters, but they changed trajectory this year. He questioned where that trajectory will go in the future.
