Welcome to the Communications and Community Relations Office

The FHPS communications office supports the district and all of our schools by informing, engaging, celebrating, and sharing information with our staff, students, families and our community. The communication office uses the district’s guiding principles and mission while collaborating with all departments and educational entities to help effectively communicate district news and information.

Newsletter

The communications office is responsible for coordinating and publishing the Forest Hills Public Schools “Focus” newsletter. The newsletter is published bimonthly during the school year by the FHPS board of education. It is mailed to all residents of the FHPS district, and additional copies are sent to every district school for distribution to staff, new residents and visitors. The newsletter cycle is as follows:  August/September; October/November; December/January; February/March; April/May; and June/July. If you have an idea that you’d like to submit to be covered in the newsletter, please email Elizabeth Brink, communications coordinator, at ebrink@fhps.net. Please note, that we do receive a lot of wonderful ideas for content for each newsletter, and although we’d love to include everything, not all stories make the newsletter. If an article doesn’t make the newsletter for publication, it may be featured either on social media or on the district’s or school’s website.

Social Media

Forest Hills Public Schools also uses social media to help promote and communicate newsworthy items to the public. One example of social media is the FHPS district Facebook page. Like us, follow us, and share your thoughts and comments with us on social media. The future will include additional use of Twitter and perhaps Instagram as we expand our social media presence.

Website News Posts

The communications office is responsible for news and web posts on the district’s website and works with other departments and schools to ensure that information is accurate and up-to-date. Families, staff, students, and community members are encouraged to subscribe to emailed news bulletins. You’ll only receive an emailed news bulletin when news has been updated on the district’s website. Each school also has their own emailed news update which people can also subscribe to.

SchoolMessenger

SchoolMessenger is a useful communication tool utilized by FHPS.  It’s an automated messaging service to inform families when there are school delays or closures due to inclement weather, or when there is an emergency. These automated messaging serves may also be used to deliver non-emergency information calls, texts or emails to communicate such things as school reminders, bus delays, after-school cancellations or activities and news from the superintendent. SchoolMessenger works in conjunction with PowerSchool, so only families with children as students in the district would receive SchoolMessenger messages. For additional information about SchoolMessenger, click here.

Marketing Information

For collateral, print materials, advertising, branding, logo requests, photo requests and opportunities, key messaging, and more, please contact the communications office.

Media Relations Contacts

Media relations for the FHPS district are handled through the communications office and all general media inquires should be made through the communications office. The priority is to manage media inquiries in order to minimize disruptions to learning and the school day. We will take all media requests for access to a school during normal school hours and we will determine if the request for access is appropriate. For access to events or activities during normal school hours, authorization is required. When visiting the school during the normal school day, news reporters and media must first check in with the school office and wear a “guest” name tag at all times and be escorted by a representative of the school. Reporters are required to respect/abide by district policy in regard to photo release of students. The district and its schools will cooperate with the news media to the extent required and appropriate by law, while ensuring that media coverage does not interfere with teaching and learning. After-school events in designated school areas are events that are open to the public and can be covered by media. Information and requests made in reference to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and/or of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) are handled through the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.

How Can We Be of Assistance?

Please don’t hesitate to contact the communications office if you have questions pertaining to communication, public relations, marketing, the dissemination of information and news, and and/or need more information:

FHPS Communications
6590 Cascade Rd. SE
Grand Rapids, MI  49546
Phone:  (616) 493-8800, ext. 4364