Dr. David Holley, principal, announced to the students Dec. 13 his plans for retirement at the end of the school year.

Holley grew up in Kirkwood and graduated from KHS in 1967. He has been in education for 35 years, and 31 of those years were served in the Kirkwood School District. He taught and coached at Richardson Junior High School in Texas from 1976-78 before coming back to St. Louis to teach and coach at Parkway South Senior High School for two years. Then, he returned to KHS to coach and teach history from 1980-90. After serving as assistant principal of North Kirkwood Middle School from 1991-95 and principal from 1995 to 2001, he once again returned to KHS and has been principal since.

“It’s time at the end of this 10 years to move on and do different things,” Holley said on the announcements.

Holley is still exploring his options and is unsure of what he will do after his tenure at KHS ends, but he will continue to work. He is eager to have more free time, and he hopes to take his experiences and knowledge with him wherever he goes.

While he will miss the school and the students, saying goodbye to the staff and the relationships he has made at KHS will be the most difficult part of leaving. He wants to make his final semester the best yet.

“I get to play and have fun. If you think I was having fun before with the kids, wait until this semester,” Holley said. “But, my serious goal is to make sure the new principal understands this school, and the transition is as smooth as possible.”

Some of Holley’s favorite moments as principal include the orchestra’s trip to New York to play at Carnegie Hall this past spring and graduation, but it is hard to choose one.

“There’s a lot of fun things,” Holley said. “I’ve had a ball.”