Message from the Superintendent
Welcome to Forest Hills Public Schools, one of our nation’s great public school systems! Our schools and our community are focused on a common aim of doing what is best for children. Throughout the history of our school district, our community, and our staff have given their time, their talents, and their treasure to ensure that each child has what she or he needs to unlock their unique and limitless potential. These gifts manifest themselves in our smaller schools, our small teacher-to-student ratio, and our belief in keeping kids “younger longer” and not artificially accelerating the natural process of becoming an adult. We feel strongly that children need space and time to grow, nurtured by high expectations and loving support. Doing what is best for students certainly entails providing each and every child with the very best education possible. While we are proud of our top state rankings and the national recognition our schools and faculty have received over the years, these rankings and recognition do little to help a child learn, grow, and thrive. Transforming a budding reader into a lifelong scholar or preparing a dependent child to be a selfless leader as a caring adult takes hard work, dedication, knowledge, and skill. We are committed to recruiting and retaining the best educators and staff who can deliver personalized learning and remain focused on our vision of “all learners achieving individual potential.”
Doing what is best for kids is about more than a great education. It also means instilling in children the character and values of ethically and responsibly using exemplary scholarship to serve the needs of an interdependent world. Children take their cues from those of us entrusted with their care. Therefore, when working with and for kids, we must always model the very best of the human condition. Toward this end, Forest Hills Public Schools lives by a set of written ideals we refer to as our Guiding Principles. These individual and organizational commitments constitute the unchanging values that lie at the heart of our district’s past and future success.
We hope you find this website to be a useful resource for information – whether you are a prospective family, parent, student, or community stakeholder. Like all websites, you will be able to find lots of information, interesting news and facts, and helpful tools. However, even with the best modern technology has to offer, sometimes there is no substitute for a human connection. In this event, we invite you to stop by our administration office or call our main telephone number at (616) 493-8800, where we will be happy to help you.
Thank you for your interest in and your support of Forest Hills Public Schools.
Sincerely,
Ben Kirby
Superintendent
Forest Hills Public Schools
Please follow the order of communication should you have inquiries or matters that need to be resolved.
Forest Hills Public Schools Organizational Chart and Administrative Responsibilities
Forest Hills Administration
Scott Haid, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
Julie Davis, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations
Christine Annese, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
Ben Kirby, Superintendent
Val Clementz, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Forest Hills Public Schools
Office of the Superintendent
620 Forest Hill Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Office Hours: M-F, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Phone: (616) 493-8800
Fax: (616) 493-8552
