THIS PAGE CONTAINS HISTORICAL INFORMATION FROM THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR, CLICK HERE.
We are committed to every student entrusted in our care and to make this year the best year yet for our students. We promise that your child will continue to learn, grow, and thrive whether you choose the in-person option or the virtual option. Together, we are all one Forest Hills, and together we will make this year exceptional!
COVID-19 Dashboard
When Forest Hills Public Schools receives the notification of a COVID-19 positive test result within our school community, we work with the Kent County Health Department to inform any other student/staff that were in close contact with the person who received the positive case. When a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, it is the responsibility of the Kent County Health Department to contact those identified as close contacts. The Kent County Health Department looks back 48 hours before the onset of symptoms when reviewing who may have been exposed and determining who may be a close contact. If you do not qualify as a close contact, you will not hear from the health department.
To see the current numbers of confirmed cases of students/staff in our district, please visit the FHPS dashboard on the Kent Intermediate School District’s website, linked here.
FHPS Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan
On August 20, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 5913 into law as Public Act 149. Section 98a states that in order to receive state aid for 2020-2021, districts must provide for instruction under an extended COVID-19 Learning Plan (“Plan”) that has been approved by an intermediate district or authorizing body. The Plan does not replace the District’s/PSA’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, it is an additional plan that includes new assurances and sections on educational goals, instructional delivery, grading, and equitable access. PA 149 does not apply to districts that operate as a cyber school.
- FHPS Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan Goal Reporting for K-8 Reading and Math, through the End of the 2020-21 School Year
- FHPS Plan June, 2021
- FHPS Plan May, 2021
- FHPS Plan April, 2021
- FHPS Plan March, 2021
- FHPS Plan February, 2021
- FHPS Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan Goal Reporting for K-8 Reading and Math, February 2021
- FHPS Plan January, 2021
- FHPS Training on Delivery, Access, and Use of Virtual Content (posted Jan. 12, 2021)
- FHPS Plan December, 2020
- FHPS Plan November, 2020
- FHPS Plan October, 2020
- FHPS Plan September, 2020
Daily Health Screener for Students
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) requires school personnel and students to be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 before entering their school every day. As of Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, Forest Hills Public Schools is using a new electronic COVID-19 symptom checker for students in our in-person learning model that must be completed each morning prior to attending school. The electronic tool was developed for the KCHD for use by schools and is available in seven different languages. Here is what families need to know:
- A parent/guardian must complete the electronic health screener for EACH child daily before sending them to school.
- The parent/guardian will receive a text message and/or email to the primary contact listed in PowerSchool for EACH child at approximately 5:30 a.m. each school day.
- The text message/email will
- contain a unique link for each child; and
- be pre-populated with the child’s initials, grade, and date of birth.
- You will be asked to respond to three yes/no health questions.
- You will be asked to give authorization for school officials to access the information.
- If you receive a ✓, your child may attend school. If you receive an X , your child cannot attend school and you are asked to phone in your child’s absence to the school’s attendance line.
Family Response Guide: Questions about Symptoms and Sending Your Child to School
As we experience a new surge in cases of COVID-19, officials from the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) are discovering clear findings in the data. First, transmissions within school buildings during the academic day are very rare. Schools across the area are doing a good job with consistent implementation of strong mitigation measures. While schools are seeing students and staff members contract COVID-19, the exposure event where the infection occurred is most often traced back to an event away from school.
For students, transmission is coming most often from one of two sources: either household transmission (someone else in a family is positive for COVID-19 and it frequently spreads to other household members) or social gatherings. In the case of the household, it is imperative that everyone in a household quarantine if one or more family members test positive. Additionally, if someone in a household is awaiting test results for COVID-19, it is important that everyone else remain home until the test results are known. If positive, everyone in the home needs to quarantine. The KCHD will communicate with you when this quarantine period ends. Attached is a useful guide to assist families when making decisions about a child who may not feel well and when students must stay home from school and when they can return to school.
Contact Tracing in the School Setting Video by the Kent County Health Department
Please watch the following video for information on contact tracing in a school setting, or visit the KCHD website, https://www.accesskent.com/Health/CommDisease/school_daycare.htm.
FHPS Second Semester Orientation Videos for Virtual Learning
Return to Learn Plan
The Forest Hills Public Schools released its Return to Learn plan in August of 2020. Included in this plan are the details for how our schools will operate under each of the six phases of Michigan’s reopening plan, the MI Safe Start plan.
Our plan’s primary emphasis is the health and safety of all students, staff members, and families. Secondly, our plan is designed to engage students in rigorous, high-quality instruction designed to foster deep learning, mastery of essential standards, and social and emotional well-being and growth. Finally, our plan is designed to align with our district’s Guiding Principles.
In this plan, you will find details about what schedules will look like, both for in-person and virtual learning models, more specifics about a child’s day, expectations, details about immersion, social-emotional wellness, safety protocols, screening students, spacing, food service, transportation, extracurriculars, and much more.