Diverse Learners
Classrooms in Forest Hills are filled with diversity — from cultural and economic to skill set and future goals. FHSD teachers embrace this diversity and ensure that all students are able to access academic content and demonstrate subject mastery. Many instructional methods and strategies are effective for a significant number of students in all classrooms and across all content areas, but teachers often use specific Universal Design strategies to address the unique needs of individual students. Although these strategies can be used to engage and support all students, they also empower students who have very specific needs, such as students with disabilities, gifted students and English language learners.
Students with Disabilities
Forest Hills knows students with disabilities can achieve at high levels when provided with instructional supports and accommodations, and when educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent possible. Students in Ohio can be identified with one of 13 different disability conditions. A significant amount of diversity, however, exists both within and between each of these disability categories. Forest Hills teachers work to plan instruction to meet the needs of a wide range of learners. For example, a teacher may customize the display of information for a student with a visual impairment or allow a student to demonstrate knowledge through the use of art or writing. Forest Hills works collaboratively with parents and students as part of the district's commitment to providing a free and appropriate public education to every child.
Gifted Students
Ohio law establishes criteria for students to be identified as gifted in the areas of academic achievement, cognitive abilities, creative thinking and/or visual/performing arts. Gifted students may be served in the regular classroom through differentiation and/or in classes with other gifted students taught by a gifted intervention specialist.
English Language Learners
Forest Hills’ English Language Learners (ELL) represent a variety of languages, cultural backgrounds and proficiency levels of the English language. ELL teachers work to learn about each student’s background, needs and strengths to gain a better understanding of strategies and resources that will help their students learn the English language and excel in all subject areas.
