Kirkwood High School
Kirkwood High School is a public secondary school in Kirkwood, Missouri, United States. The school is part of the Kirkwood R-7 School District. Dr. Mike Havener started as principal in July 2011.
Kirkwood High School | |
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Location | |
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801 W Essex Ave, Kirkwood, Missouri 63122 United States | |
Coordinates | 38°35′29″N 90°25′24″W |
Information | |
Type | Public secondary |
Established | 1955 |
School district | Kirkwood R-7 |
Principal | Michael Havener[1] |
Staff | 108.89 (FTE)[2] |
Grades | 9 to 12 |
Number of students | 1,745 (2018–19)[2] |
Student to teacher ratio | 16.03[2] |
Campus size | 47 acres (190,000 m2) |
Campus type | Suburban |
Color(s) | Red and White |
Athletics conference | Suburban XII (South) |
Mascot | Pioneers |
Rival | Webster Groves High School |
Website | khs.kirkwoodschools.org |
History
Kirkwood High School as an academic institution dates back to 1865, when the Kirkwood School District was founded. A temporary building opened in the fall of 1866; high school and elementary students attended school together. Jefferson Avenue School was the district's first formal school and was built in 1869. The Booker T. Washington School, which opened in 1869 at 430 West Adams Avenue[3][4] near Geyer Road was built for African-American students to attend. In 1888, the district built the Adams Avenue School next to the Jefferson School, which offered a two-year high school program for White students completing elementary grades. In 1896, Kirkwood offered the first four-year high school program in St. Louis County; 10 students were members of the first graduating class in the spring of 1897. In 1922, a new, four-year high school was built on Kirkwood Road, where Nipher Middle School is currently located.
A new Kirkwood High School opened in 1955 on a 47-acre (190,000 m2) campus and was designed with seven buildings set on a college-like campus. For the first time in the district, both Caucasian and African-American students were permitted to attend school together. Facilities funded by a 1993 tax/bond issue (Proposition I) included the Thomas N. Keating Performance Center (a fine arts complex with an 821-seat theater), and band, art and vocal music classrooms. The privately funded Walker Commons enclosed the theater lobby area connecting the Center to the main campus.
Due to the passage of Proposition I in 2005, a new science building opened in August 2007. The two-story structure measures 51,000 square feet (4,700 m2) and features 15 combined science classrooms/laboratories (five each for chemistry, biology and physics). Each classroom/laboratory averages about 1,500 square feet (140 m2) and was designed to facilitate the movement of students from discussion to hands-on activities. The facility was designed to reflect current research and best practices in science education. The private Kirkwood School District Foundation raised funds to ensure students had the equipment and technology needed to mirror the recommendations in the National Science Foundation report to Congress.
Prop I funded the construction of a new regulation-size gymnasium. Renovation of the existing physical education facility was completed in March 2008. Prop I also funded a variety of infrastructure improvements, including the installation of a new fire alarm, sprinkler system, and a decentralized heating and cooling system. A new football field was finished in 2010, and a new track was finished in 2011.
Recognition
The 2016 Niche report placed the school as the 2nd best public high school in the state and in the ninety-ninth percentile of the 18,841 public high schools in the country. Regarding college readiness, in 2020 GreatSchools.org gave the school a very high score for its White students but a middling score for its Black students, explaining that large differences between groups suggest that some groups of students may not be getting necessary support.[5] In addition, the report indicated that test scores for low-income students fell below the state average.[6]
Kirkwood High school was featured in CNN's “Heroin: The poisoning of America”[7] and was covered nationally by CNN's Deborah Feyerick. The area of Kirkwood, Missouri was found to have four times the national average of heroin overdoses.
Allegations of sexual abuse, permissive district culture
In July 2020, multiple allegations began to surface on social media of alleged sexual abuse of students by high school and other personnel dating back to at least the 1990s.[8] Allegations came from more than a dozen former high school students.[9] It was also alleged that the district failed to take appropriate measures to address the incidents and prevent recurrences.[8] Criminal investigations into at least two alleged abusers were begun.[10] In August 2020, the board of education approved the hiring of the Kansas City firm Encompass Resolution, LLC to analyze and make recommendations about the district's climate related to the reporting and handling of sexual abuse allegations.[9] Survivors of the alleged abuse expressed concern that the firm's focus is on enacting solutions to address workplace disputes[11] and not on improving school climate related to sexual abuse.[9]
On September 9, 2020, a federal lawsuit was filed against the district and a former employee of the high school.[12] The lawsuit alleges federal civil rights and Title IX violations and estimates that more than 25 district employees have been involved in sexual harassment, abuse, or discrimination against students over the previous 40 years.[13] The suit also alleges that the former employee who is named as a defendant committed sexual assault and battery,[13] although no criminal charges have been filed.[12] The plaintiff's attorney states that the broad goal of the lawsuit is to prevent recurrences of sexually inappropriate behavior.[12]
Activities
Boys basketball
The program was started by Denver Miller, who coached for 43 years at Kirkwood, earning 790 victories and induction into the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame. During its history the team has earned 21 district championships and has advanced to the Show-Me Showdown (Missouri's Final Four) eight times.
Football
Kirkwood High School's football tradition dates back over a hundred years. The rivalry between Kirkwood and the nearby high school, Webster Groves High School, culminates every year on Thanksgiving, at their "Turkey Day" game. In early 2010 construction began to make a new field. After the project was delayed because of the removal of water pipes that were deep in the ground, the first home game on the new Fieldturf was played on October 1.[14] The current head coach of the Kirkwood varsity team is Farrell Shelton. The Kirkwood football team has made it to the State Final Championship game twice, in 2006 and in 2011, and placed second both times.
The Kirkwood Pioneers became state champions for the first time in 2012, defeating Fort Osage (Independence, Mo) High School 32-7 to conclude a perfect 13-0 record, a number one ranking in the state of Missouri, and a number seventeen ranking nationally by the USA Today. The Kirkwood Pioneers won their second State Championship in 2016 by defeating Blue Springs High School 31-14.
Volleyball
Class 4A State Volleyball Champions 1986. High school champions
Symphonic Orchestra
In 2010, the Kirkwood High School Symphonic Orchestra played at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2013, the group competed in the National Orchestra Cup at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center and earned third place.
School profile
- Grades 9–12
- Total enrollment: 1,739 (2017–18 school year)
- First graduating class: 1897, 10 students
- Senior class of 2010: 405
- Senior class of 2011: 396
- Student/teacher ratio: 18:1
- Rate of attendance: 97.3%
- Graduation rate: 99.5%
- Average composite ACT score: 24
- 2011 National Merit Finalists: 7
- 2011 National Merit Semifinalists: 7
- 2011 National Merit Commended students: 9
Notable alumni
- Scott Bakula, class of 1973, actor
- Colin Donnell, class of 2001, actor
- Michael R. Gibbons, class of 1977, Missouri State Senator
- Nikki Glaser, class of 2002, comedian
- Marcus Harris, football player
- Kyle Hawkins, class of 1989, prominent men's lacrosse team coach and gay rights pioneer
- Jay Leeuwenburg, class of 1987, former NFL player and author
- Jeremy Maclin, class of 2006, former NFL player
- Kalani Sitake, class of 1993, Head Coach for BYU Cougars Football
- Mike McNeill, football player, University of Nebraska and NFL tight end
- Dustin Nguyen, class of 1980, actor
- Bill Pleis, former MLB player for Minnesota Twins
- MyCole Pruitt, class of 2010, tight end for Tennessee Titans
- David Sanborn, class of 1963, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and musician
- Rick Stream, class of 1967, Missouri House of Representatives
- Jim Talent, class of 1973, Missouri politician
- Susan Tifft, class of 1969, journalist, author, editor, academic
- Lyle Waggoner, class of 1954, actor
- Greg Warren, Class of 1986, stand-up comedian, All-American wrestler University of Missouri
- Ron Willis, former MLB player
- Mike Wood, former NFL player
References
- "Administrative Team". Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- "KIRKWOOD SR. HIGH". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- National Association of Elementary School Principals (U.S.) (1942). "Elementary School Principals". The National elementary Principal. 22: 580. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- Jones, Gladys Gray (6 December 1947). "Suburban Kirkwood Residents Are Homebuilders" (PDF). The Pittsburgh Courier. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- "Kirkwood Sr. High School: Race/Ethnicity - Test Scores". Greatschools.org. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- "Kirkwood Sr. High School: Low-income Students - Test Scores". Greatschools.org. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- "CNN series profiles heroin problem at Kirkwood High School". FOX 2. 2016-10-16. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- Patrick, Robert (July 13, 2020). "Kirkwood schools to pursue independent investigation of sex abuse allegations". Stltoday.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Randhawa, PJ (September 4, 2020). "Investigations: Firm hired to investigate Kirkwood abuse claims hit with criticism from former students and survivors". Ksdk.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Randhawa, PJ (August 13, 2020). "Police and prosecutors investigate 2 former Kirkwood high school teachers over sexual abuse claims". Ksdk.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- "Workplace Solutions". Encompasssolution.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- Richey, Erin; Randhawa, PJ (September 9, 2020). "Investigations: Federal lawsuit filed against Kirkwood School District, former teacher accused of rape". Ksdk.com. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- "Hermann Filed". Scribd.com. September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- Frohlichstein, Johnny. "A river runs through it". Thekirkwoodcall.com. Retrieved April 23, 2019.