Tillman to Get New Front Entrance in 2013

Switching the entrance to the middle of the school will help administrators keep track of visitors and expand the school's nursing area.

The Kirkwood School Board unanimously approved construction projects at three Kirkwood elementary schools, the largest of which is the relocation of Tillman's front entrance and expansion of the school's nursing area. The $670,000 project will move the front entrance of Tillman to the middle of the school. This will help administrators keep better track of visitors, respond to emergencies more quickly and add needed room to the school's nursing station, Michael Romay, chief financial officer for the Kirkwood School District, told board members Monday night. Money for the project will come from remaining Prop 1 funds. The other projects elementary school projects approved by the board, which also will be funded by Prop 1, are: The three …

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Tillman Elementary Could See Major Renovation in 2013

A $670,000 project would renovate the school's front entrance and move the nurses' clinic, main office and guidance office.

The Kirkwood School Board will vote on three projects for Kirkwood School District elementary schools that would total $850,000 and use up remaining reserve money generated the passage of Prop 1.  The District will present the following projects for the summer of 2013 to the Board at its regular meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the District's administrative offices. If approved, the District would seek bids for the projects and bring back bids to the Board for final approval.

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Raking for a Cause: Kirkwood Students Help Neighbors

Students from Keysor, Tillman and Westchester elementary schools participated in a morning of community service by raking leaves and cleaning up yards. Neighbors were touched by the effort.

The following information was provided by the Kirkwood School District. Kirkwood School District (KSD) students and staff from Keysor Elementary School, Tillman Elementary School and Westchester Elementary School participated in a morning of community service Thursday by raking leaves and cleaning up yards immediately surrounding the school. Kirkwood resident Evelyn Smith had her yard raked by a group of Keysor students. “We just love seeing the kids. We are so grateful for all the work the kids do,” said Smith. Gary Krekow, who lives near Westchester, wrote a note of thanks to the school echoing the sentiment. “It is very encouraging to know that the students of Kirkwood Schools are learning the value of positive community involvement and…

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Dog Changes Life for Kirkwood Boy With Autism

How a service dog has turned around life for a 10 year old and his family.

It was the first time in four years that Tommy Schiller, 10, of Kirkwood, slept through the night, and it was because of a dog. Tommy was diagnosed with autism when he was three-and-a-half years old. Symptoms came on suddenly and mother Maura Schiller thought they might go away. They did not.  “Every year, Tommy lost skills despite all of the therapies and interventions. When he was about 5 years old, it really got bad,” Maura said. Self-mutilation, anxiety and running away became a part of Tommy’s life, and nights were never restful. Tommy would bang against the window all night, constantly run to the bathroom to wash his hands and tried to start fires in the microwave, according to Maura. But then the Schillers brought home Art, a 1-year…

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New School Assignments to Save Parents Hundreds in Busing Costs

Students living in Des Peres' Wyndemere Subdivision have been reassigned to Westchester Elementary and North Kirkwood Middle schools.

Beginning next school year, parents in Des Peres' Wyndemere Subdivision will no longer have to pay $400 to have their children bussed to the Kirkwood elementary and middle schools closest to their homes. The Kirkwood School Board approved the reassignment of students living in the subdivision to attend Westchester Elementary and North Kirkwood Middle schools beginning next school year. Children currently are assigned to Tillman Elementary and Nipher Middle schools. Executive Director of Student Services Shirleas Washington recommended the reassignment to the Kirkwood School Board Monday night. The recommendation is "due to proximity and convenience of the parents," Washington says in a memo to Kirkwood School District Superintendent Tom …

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Seven Kirkwood School District Teachers Achieve National Board Certification

The teachers were recognized by the Kirkwood Board of Education at their Dec. 12 meeting.

Seven teachers from different schools in the Kirkwood School District are now National Board certified teachers after completing a long assessment process conducted by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. The teachers are: According to the NBCT’s website, the certification is obtained after completion of a voluntary assessment program which recognizes “effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do.” The certification complements the teacher’s state license and it is valid for 10 years. “What some people may not realize is that this is a grueling process,” said Scott Stream, president of the Kirkwood Board of Education. “It says a lot about you.” The …

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Demolition, Construction Begin at Kirkwood Schools

New construction and renovations are result of a $33 million bond issue voters passed in November.

Improvements and building projects approved by voters last fall are under way at several  Kirkwood schools. Demolition of the north wing of Keysor Elementary began Wednesday as workers make way for new classrooms to accommodate all of the school’s kindergarteners. Other improvements, including a new gym, an expanded and remodeled cafeteria, and a new entrance and office area, are to follow. At Robinson and North Glendale elementary schools, similar updates have begun. The improvements are intended to make it so all students can attend kindergarten in their home attendance areas by the fall of 2012. In past years, North Glendale, Robinson and Keysor did not have the capacity to serve all of their kindergarten students. Some had to go to …

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Whiz Kid

Whiz Kids: Boys Turn Pond Scum Into Cash

This week, Patch introduces you to Ross Stauder and Evan Coleman, two third-graders whose project on algae earned first place in a contest sponsored by the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Two Kirkwood third-graders turned a project on pond scum into prize money for themselves and their school. Ross Stauder, 9, and Evan Coleman, 8, both students at Tillman Elementary School, won first place for their age group in the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Power of Plants contest. The two friends teamed up to study the pros and cons of algae, which at first they weren’t even sure were plants. Algae – pond scum to the non-scientific world -- usually grow in water but lack the roots and stems of more typical plants.  What Ross and Evan discovered was that algae were being studied for their potential in fighting certain diseases such as cancer and as a biofuel. But algae have their disadvantages too, Ross said, explaining that an …

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Moms Talk Q&A: The Role of Principals

With new principals scheduled to take the reins at two Kirkwood schools in July, we take a minute to discuss the qualities we seek in those who step into the post.

Two Kirkwood principals, David Holley, of Kirkwood High School (KHS), and Chris Raeker, of Tillman Elementary School, will be leaving their positions at the end of the school year. Holley is retiring from the KHS after serving as an educator at the school for the past 30 years, the last 10 of which he served as principal. Raeker will leave Tillman Elementary School at the end of the school year to step into her new position as the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. The Kirkwood School Board accepted Superintendent Tom Williams' recommendation for Mike Havener to take over as principal of KHS at its Feb. 22 meeting. At the board's next meeting, to be held Monday, Williams will recommend Lisa Greenstein for …

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Districts Look to Kirkwood School for Lessons in Teaching

Tillman Elementary principal says her school has gained a reputation as a teaching school.

The Kirkwood School District's Board of Education learned about the success of one of its elementary schools, awarded a roofing bid for Kirkwood High School and approved a new math curriculum at its meeting Tuesday evening. Tillman Elementary Progress Report Dr. Chris Raeker, principal of Tillman Elementary School, presented a PowerPoint about her school’s annual progress to the Kirkwood School District Board of Education. “We believe all kids are capable of higher level thinking," Raeker said. "We’re not just looking at what makes kids good at their MAP tests, but what makes them better human beings." Tillman's teachers are encouraged to think creatively, according to Raeker, who said that the school has gained a reputation as a place …

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