Kirkwood board adopts 2026–27 calendar, approves October finances and hears enrollment decline forecast

The Kirkwood School District board on Nov. 17 approved the district calendar for the 2026–27 school year, accepted the October 2025 financial statements and heard an enrollment-projection presentation that forecasts a districtwide decline of about 352 resident students by the 2030–31 school year.

Board members voted unanimously to adopt the calendar after a committee presenter outlined priorities developed from a committee of 18 and a community survey with more than 400 participants. Doctor Rich, who presented the committee’s work, said the calendar preserves a full two-week winter break, provides a full spring break bookended by weekends, aims to end the school year by Memorial Day and keeps teachers’ workdays at roughly 190 while meeting a statutory minimum of 169 student days. “We had over 400 participants that weighed in on that survey,” Doctor Rich said, summarizing the committee’s community engagement and the five…