Kirkwood High School - History

History

Kirkwood High School as an academic institution has a history that dates back to 1865, when the Kirkwood School District was founded. A temporary building opened in the fall of 1866 and 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 on Adams near Geyer Rd 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 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.

The current campus of Kirkwood High School was opened in 1955 on a 47-acre (190,000 m2) campus and was designed with 7 buildings set on a college-like campus. Both Caucasian and African-American students were allowed to attend. New facilities from a 1993 tax/bond issue (Proposition I) included the Thomas N. Keating Performance Center, a fine arts complex that features an 821-seat theater, 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 community support of Proposition I in April 2005, the new science building opened in August 2007. The science facility was designed to reflect current research and best practices in science education. 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 is designed to facilitate the movement of students from discussion to hands-on activities. The district was also pleased to have the support of the Kirkwood School District Foundation, which volunteered to raise $1.6 million dollars in private funds to ensure students had immediate access to the science equipment and technology needed to mirror the recommendations in the National Science Foundation report to Congress. Also part of Prop I, construction of a new regulation-size gymnasium and renovation of the existing physical education facility began in the summer of 2007. The new facility was scheduled for completion in 2008 and was completed in March of that year. Prop I also funded a variety of infrastructure improvements at KHS including installation of a new fire alarm and sprinkler system as well as a decentralized heating and cooling system. In 2010, the Kirkwood High School Symphonic Orchestra traveled (in March) to New York to play at Carnegie Hall. During most of the year construction was made for an new football field and track. With the football finished in October and the track finished in early 2011.