KSD schools honored veterans at various events on Monday, November 11. North Kirkwood Middle School conducted a tribute to veterans in the library. Kirkwood High School welcomed veterans into social studies classrooms where vets shared their military experiences with students. All elementary schools held events and welcomed veterans. Students paid tribute to veterans through singing songs, reading poems, and writing personalized cards.
The first officially recorded Thanksgiving Day football game between Kirkwood High School (KHS) and neighboring Webster Groves High School (WGHS) was held in 1907. Since then, with only a few exceptions, the two schools have met each year on the football field to compete for the “Turkey Day Championship” and the coveted Frisco Bell trophy. More than just a football game, Turkey Day has become a celebration of spirit and pride for both communities. In anticipation of the 2019 football game, KSD students and alumni will begin the “Turkey Day Game” countdown in November with special activities throughout the month and during Spirit Week.
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation partnered with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to recognize teachers through the CFP Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers platform this season. The SEC worked with its 14 institutions to identify student-athletes from eight different sports who have had a teacher that greatly impacted his or her life. Each of the educators were honored through a testimonial by the respective student-athlete aired on SEC Nation, the SEC Network's traveling pregame show. In addition, the elementary, middle and high schools being recognized as part of the program will receive a $10,000 grant from the CFP Foundation and the SEC to use towards the purchase of classroom supplies and materials through Donorschoose.org. Jordan Roundtree, KHS ’16, nominated Romona Miller, Kirkwood High School (KHS) Assistant Principal Pioneer Pathways. Jordan is now a junior at University of Missouri-Columbia (MU), and guard for the women’s basketball team. Last season, she appeared in all 35 games and averaged 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. In speaking about Miller, Jordan shared how Miller set her up for success at KHS. “She really took me under her wing when I was new at KHS,” said Jordan. “She made sure I had a place to eat, she made sure I had friends, and that I got accustomed to the new school. She was just always someone I go to whether in school or out of school to make sure I had an amazing time at Kirkwood High School.” Miller has served as a teacher and administrator for KHS for 27 years. She plans to use the $10,000 grant toward enhancing experiences in Pioneer Pathways, especially in the area of Science which was Miller’s content area prior to becoming an administrator.
Westchester Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District (KSD) received the Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) Gold Award of Recognition. The award recognizes schools that successfully adopt and implement SW-PBS, a comprehensive approach for improving student behavior and academic performance. Schools are awarded a recognition level (gold, silver or bronze), which represents the extent of their implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support strategies and the evidence they have compiled about the initiative’s impact in their school. At a recent Special School District Governing Council meeting, Westchester principal Bo Ricker and Kirkwood School District board member Julie Backer were presented a framed certificate. Westchester is one of a select few schools in the county who have won state recognition for at least 10 years. Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support is a systematic approach to creating safer and more effective schools by structuring the learning environment to support the academic and social success of all students. It focuses on data-based decision-making, encouraging positive student behavior, preventing disruptive behavior and tailoring academic strategies to individual student needs.
The Kirkwood High School (KHS) 2019 graduates posted an average of 24.4 on the ACT college entrance exam, a bump from 24.0 the year before. Students made gains in English, Math and Reading.
The Kirkwood School District (KSD) celebrated the outstanding achievements of Kirkwood High School (KHS) graduates and KHS supporters October 18 and 19 during a full weekend of events to celebrate the Outstanding Hall Alumni Hall of Fame and Pioneer Award. On Friday, October 18, inductees were invited to KHS to connect with current students. The inductees shared their stories and professional journeys with students in classes from the field with which is appropriate to their field of study. Inductees that attended included Sterling Coleman, Dr. Reates Curry, Dr. Tricia Ashton Derges, Jane E. Drichta, Bill Freivogel, Margaret Freivogel, Jennifer Ouellette, Dr. Timothy Taft, Adam York, Rick Stream and Wallace Ward. On Saturday, the group convened in the Walker Commons for a pre-event reception before entering the Keating Theatre for the Outstanding Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
On Wednesday, October 16, hundreds of Kirkwood School District (KSD) students participated in the fourth annual Unified Night Lights unified flag football event. The inaugural event was held in September 2016. The event recreates the excitement of a traditional football game. Hundreds of students, with and without disabilities, came together. The philosophy behind the event is that sports help provide a path to friendships and understanding and help break down barriers. Students stormed the field, cheered from the track, and played instruments from the pep band section in the bleachers.
Students at Westchester Elementary (WE) School in the Kirkwood School District learned in and from the trees on Wednesday, September 25 as part of the Kirkwood Urban Forestry Commission Jr. Tree Keeper program. WE students traveled to Kirkwood Park to learn from representatives from the Kirkwood Urban Forestry Commission. The students rotated through stations and participated in a variety of experiences including tree identification, tree planting, and tree climbing safety.
