A Kearney Police officer at the 2023 D.A.R.E. program graduation, led by Officer Boyd Weller (background), (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — The addition of a fourth School Resource Officer to serve the Kearney Public Schools district was approved by the board of education during their meeting on Monday, May 12.
Sgt. J.C. Small with the Kearney Police Department (KPD), over sees the current School Resource Officers that include Nate Dennis, Boyd Weller and Luis Arevalo.
Superintendent Jason Mundorf said the original memorandum of understanding was signed between the district and KPD severe years ago and that the relationship between the two entities has been “amazing.”
Small spoke about current SRO coverage at the school buildings and said there is always one t Kearney High School and they do not leave the high school unmanned.
The Horizon Middle School SRO also handles calls at the Hanny Arram Center for Success and all the elementary schools on the west side of 2nd Ave.
On the other side of Kearney, the Sunrise Middle School SRO handles all the other elementary schools on the east side of 2nd Ave.
Small quoted the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), which stated that an SROs time should ideally be divided between law enforcement (20 percent), being an educator (40 percent) and being an informal counselor (40 percent).
Small said that they are working to put more time toward the education side of the SRO position but noted their current education programs, such as the Youth Citizen’s Police Academy and the D.A.R.E. Program.
Small spoke to the challenges that the SROs face, including the fact that they are three officers who have to cover 15 schools in the district.
Also, the SROs are often busy with additional training, court, DHHS intake, follow-up investigations, presentations, etc. Time must also be allowed for personal leave.
Small also noted that the school board approved converting Glenwood Elementary into a K-5 Alternative School and while that building is under Buffalo County’s jurisdiction, he would likely see that facility handled by a KPD SRO.
Small said that adding a fourth SRO would help them to respond to more of the elementary buildings and ensure the highest number of SROs are available when others need to take leave, responding to other situations, etc.
It was noted they have around 280-290 incident reports per year, but in addition to ensuring school safety, the SROs work hard to build relationships with the students and ensure they are comfortable coming to a law enforcement official for help or to report something they have seen.
Sgt. Small said that KPD carefully selects those officers who will serve as SRO’s and they receive specialty training in threat assessments, crime prevention through environmental design and youth mental health first aid.
Board member Paul Hazard said he has pushed for additional SROs in Kearney and also noted that with the addition of a fourth SRO, the new MOU would see that the cost would be split 50/50 between the district and the City of Kearney.
Board member Niki Deeds asked if this was approved, when they could expect the fourth SRO to take up their post.
Superintendent Mundorf said that it would likely be around January 2026, he added that KPD Chief Bryan Waugh and Sgt. Small have looked for specific officers who would be the best fit to work within the schools and the students.
Board president John Icenogle said that the SROs are highly trained to operate in the school environment and the board has received nothing but glowing reports of their conduct to date.
The board voted to approve the addition of a fourth SRO to serve the district and approve the revised MOU with the City of Kearney that would split the cost evenly.
During the board meeting there were two recognitions, the first was Hanny Arram Center for Success student Braedyn Ramer for being selected to represent Nebraska as a voting delegate at the National Career Development Conference in Indianapolis, Ind.
The second honored Special Education Director, Melisa Dobish for receiving the Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors, Friend of Special Education Award.
There were two hirings approved including Ariana Bishop, deaf educator at Kearney Public Schools and Sara McCoy, special education teacher at Kenwood Elementary School, for the 2025-2026 school year.
The board also set the members of various sub-committees including Amy Barth, Paul Hazard, and Drew Blessing to serve as the Board Negotiations Team; John Icenogle, Nikki Deeds, and Amanda Smallcomb to Serve as the Board Policy Review Committee and Niki Deeds, Amy Barth, and Amanda Smallcomb to Serve as the Board Civics Committee through the 2025-2026 school year.
The board set Monday, June 16, at the summer special retreat meeting for the board of education at 6 p.m. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building.
The next regular meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education will be held on June 9, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building.
