Kearney Public Schools Administration Office, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The Kearney Public Schools Board of Education recognized a number of students for their recent athletic, artistic and academic achievement during their meeting on Monday, March 9.
The first recognized was the Kearney High School Dance Catz for their Runner-Up Finish in Class A High Kick at the Nebraska State Dance Championships and for Earning the Academic Excellence Award.
Coach Meggie Rusher said 17 members of the team took part in the championships and said their routine featured 90 kicks. She noted this was the team’s third year placing in the top two at the event.
The Kearney High School Boys Wrestling Team was also recognized for their Runner-Up Finish at the NSAA Class A State Dual Championships.
Coach Ryan Bauer said his team had a “phenomenal year” and noted they beat Papillion-La Vista at the state duals and only fell to Creighton Prep. He said the team fought through injuries and the flu bug throughout the winter season.
The Kearney High School Girls Wrestling Team was recognized for their Runner-Up Finish at the NSAA Class A State Wrestling Championship, including State Champions Sloane Abbey and Stella Harbols.
It was noted that the girls wrestling program continues to grow by leaps and bounds, with 75 girls involved in the middle school team and 40 on the high school team.
Kearney High School Student Fulton Moyer was personally congratulated for winning the NSAA Class A State Bowling Championship.
Coach Chuck Brisbin said that Moyer is only a sophomore and won the championship in the singles part of the event. He said that Moyer is a “generational talent” and stands a chance of repeating his accomplishment in the next two years.
There were also several Kearney High School students who were named as State Scholastic Art Award Winners and National Qualifiers.
“This year, 27 students have been recognized through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. The Gold Key works advance to the national level of judging in New York City,” per Kearney Public Schools.
The Gold Key winners this year were as follows:
Ava Porter – Self-Portrait
Brooke Kisling – Ouroboros
Kruz Flamig – In My Eyes
Lydia Smith – Where is Mr. Goose?
Pamela Alvarado – Shark Attack
Ariah Perez – Prince of Dreams
Becca Pobanz – Winter Park
Landen Tilley – Social Brainwash
Mariah Kaslon – Self-Portrait
Rina Heng – She Gave Me That Look
Josslyn Flood – Coils on Coils
Josslyn Flood – Sweet Snail
Bailey Axtell – Shattered Innocence; A Teenager’s Realization to Child Abuse (Also an American Visions Nominee)
It was also noted that Kearney High School Student Josslyn Flood was selected to participate in the Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition.
There was also the recognition of a staff member, Kearney High School Social Studies Teacher, Kevin Witte was selected as the Nebraska 3rd Congressional District Recipient of the Bertolas, Gildersleeve, Stoddard, Stone Award Presented by the Geographic Educators of Nebraska.
During the personnel part of the agenda, the board accepted the resignations and retirements of several staff members including, Amber Berger, special education teacher at Hanny Arram Center for Success; Amber Sklenar, preschool teacher at Bright Futures Preschool; Kathryn Peterson, special education teacher at Horizon Middle School; Jordan Hughett, 4th grade teacher at Bufflao Hills Elementary School; Megan Homolka, spanish teacher at Horizon Middle School; Kelli Bauer, 4th grade teacher at Park Elementary School; Jennifer Meinecke, TLC teacher at Kenwood Elementary School; Sydney Steele, speech-language pathologist at Park and Kenwood Elementary Schools; Kathrin Sindt, speech-language pathologist at Kearney Public Schools; Jeff Ganz, principal at Kearney High School; Thomas Mattfeld, physical education teacher at Northeast Elementary School, and the retirement resignation of Mark Johnson, principal at Sunrise Middle School, effective at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
Hiring of staff included, Ashley Palu, 5th grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary School; Ashley Bush, family and consumer science teacher at Kearney High School; Hailey Hanneman, art teacher at Kenwood Elementary School; Ashtyn Hedlund, English teacher at Kearney High School; Emily Hendren, 4th grade teacher at Park Elementary School; Isabelle Rich, computer teacher at Horizon Middle School; Tracy Roskop, preschool teacher at Bright Futures Preschool; McKaylla Christian, Spanish teacher at Kearney High School; Emily Surmeier, 4th grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary School; Lauren Labenz, special education teacher; William Shaffer, science teacher at Hanny Arram Center for Success, and Elizabeth Smith, special education teacher at Horizon Middle School, for the 2026-2027 school year.
The next regular meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education will be held on April 13, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building.
