STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
SPECIAL EDUCATION
EVERY LEARNER BELONGS HERE
Forest Hills Public Schools believes an inclusive education is a stronger education, for every student in the room. Our special education and student support team partners closely with families to ensure each child’s individual strengths and needs shape a learning experience built just for them.
DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP & OFFICE CONTACTS
CONTACT INFORMATION
OFFICE HOURS: 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, MONDAY-FRIDAY
OFFICE FAX: (616) 493-8663
WHAT FAMILIES CAN EXPECT
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
- A continuum of support, from early childhood special education through transition services for young adults, including resource programs, life skills classrooms, autism support, and speech and language services
- Specialized programming for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Cognitive Impairment (CI), with classrooms and instructional approaches designed around each student’s individual learning profile, pace, and goals
- Assistive technology and individualized accommodations, if needed, that open doors to full participation in school life
OUR TEAM
- Dedicated, credentialed staff, including special education teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, and school psychologists
- Inclusive classrooms, where co-teaching and general education inclusion help students learn alongside their peers whenever possible
FAMILY PARTNERSHIP
- Guided IEP and 504 support, with a team that walks alongside families through evaluations, planning, and every step in between, because no parent should navigate this alone.
- Connection to PASE (Parent Advisors for Special Education), a parent-driven advisory committee for the Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) that provides feedback and input on special education programming and services across Kent County. FHPS partners with PASE to ensure our families have a voice not just within our district, but at the county level, where parent voices help shape the special education resources and services that exist to serve every child.
BELONGING & COMMUNITY
- Meaningful peer connection, through Peer-to-Peer programs that pair general education students with classmates in CI and ASD classrooms for shared lunches, recess, and learning time, and through inclusive Special Olympics Michigan teams, where students compete, cheer, and build lasting friendships together.
EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION
FHPS begins its commitment to every learner well before kindergarten. Our Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program, housed at Ada Elementary School, serves children ages 3–5 through both morning and afternoon sessions. Research consistently shows that early intervention makes one of the greatest differences in outcomes for children with developmental needs, and our ECSE team is dedicated to giving every young learner a strong, supported start.
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
Transition planning that looks ahead to life after high school, further education, employment, and independent living. In Michigan, students with disabilities can continue receiving special education services well beyond a typical graduation timeline, through age 25, and in some cases until age 26 if they have an active IEP and haven’t yet earned a diploma. At FHPS, that means support continues with our Transition Center for as long as a student needs it to reach their full potential.
