Back-to-School Updates 2024-2025
Please check back regularly as more information will be added to this page leading up to the beginning of the school year.
With the first day of school around the corner, FHSD has compiled this guide for families to get ready for the 2024-2025 school year. Find links to school supplies, calendars, important district updates and more.
First Days Back for Students
K-12
- August 22: Last names M-Z
- August 23: Last names A-L
- August 26: All students
Preschool
- August 26: First day of phase-in
- August 27: Second day of phase-in
- August 28: All students
Families with preschool students will receive information about phase-in days from their preschool teacher.
2024-2025 Calendars
Find the K-12 academic calendar and Preschool academic calendar on our Calendars page.
You can also find interactive event calendars for FHSD and all nine schools here, which can be added to your personal digital calendar.
School Supplies
Click the links below to find your school supply list:
Update Final Forms
Returning families should have received email reminders from Final Forms asking them to update their information for the 2024-2025 school year. This mainly applies to updating contact information if there have been any changes since last completing the forms. Please update any information so that FinalForms is ready for the upcoming school year.
School Start Times
Starting times vary between elementary, middle and high school grade levels. Go to your school’s webpage and find the schedule under the About section.
Click here to find your school’s webpage.
Menus
Forest Hills School District uses an interactive online menu system called My School Menu to share information about what food is being served each day at school. This option allows families to see a detailed breakdown for each menu item, including nutrition details, ingredient lists, allergy information and a picture of the food.
Click here to view menus for each FHSD building.
Bus Routes
Families can refer to the Bus Routes wepage to find instructions on obtaining a student's bus route. Please note that, due to the amount of route changes that take place in August leading up to the first days of school, it is recommended that families recheck bus information the day before school starts.
School Fees
Families will use PaySchools Central to pay academic fees and, optionally, fund their student’s lunch balance. Find more information about paying school fees on the Online Payments webpage.
Part of the school fees contribute to FHSD’s technology fee, which supports the district’s 1-to-1 device program and makes individual devices available across grade levels. Families with questions about the district’s annual technology fee can learn more on this webpage.
Families who need to pay for All Day Kindergarten can find information on the Kindergarten webpage under the Tuition and Fees sections.
Instructions for paying Preschool tuition can be found on the Preschool page under Additional Information.
Free and Reduced Price School Meals
Applications for free and reduced price school meals are open, and FHSD families can apply for the upcoming school year if they have not yet done so. Head to the Food Services page to begin this process. Questions can be directed to the Food Service office at (513) 231-3215.
Student-Parent Handbooks
If you'd like to learn more about consistent practices across FHSD related to topics like attendance, food guidelines, medication, field trips, lunch fees and much more, please reference the student-parent handbooks linked below.
Welcoming New Administrators and Staff
FHSD has recently hired new administrators for various leadership positions in the district. We are thrilled to welcome them to FHSD! Get to know our newest administrators in a news article here.
Please also join us in welcoming new teachers and staff members across the district! Check out the FHSD New Faces document, which introduces the newest members of the FHSD team.
New Law Related to Cell Phone Usage in Schools
Ohio House Bill 250, passed and signed into law this past May, requires all school districts in Ohio to establish an official policy regarding the use of cell phones during school hours with a goal of minimizing cell phone use by students. FHSD already has an official policy related to cell phone usage, and our requirement has been that personal devices are not allowed to be out at all during the school day at the elementary and middle school level. Based on these new expectations from the state of Ohio, FHSD has created updated rules for personal device usage at the high school level. Cell phones and mobile devices will not be allowed out during any instructional time, and those devices may only be used during a student's lunch period or class transition. You can learn more about those restrictions in a separate news article here. You can read more about the new law on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s website here.
The law requires a policy to be established under the new state expectations before the 2025-2026 school year. FHSD will monitor any updates from ODEW during the school year and make any necessary changes to official policy language through the standard process during Board of Education meetings.
Expanding Mental Health Resources
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, FHSD and Child Focus have revamped their partnership to expand access to services for students across the district. By moving to an open referral model, any parent, or any student with the parent’s permission, is now able to request services if they believe mental health therapy would be beneficial to the student. Please take a moment to read this detailed article explaining the changes and next steps for interested families.
Strategic Plan Updates
FHSD has revamped its Strategic Plan to focus our organizational efforts over the next several years! If you’d like to take a look at the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, you can find it on our website here under the About Us section. This work is critical to guide educational priorities and enhance our collective work to support student success.
School Safety Approach
You may have seen our “Summer Safety Focus” series on social media throughout the summer months, which highlights various aspects of the district’s safety plans. FHSD takes our approach to school safety very seriously and believes in the importance of informing families about the strategies employed to maintain safe learning environments. Visit the Safety webpage to learn more about general components of FHSD’s safety plans, including policies, procedures and committees.
Updates on District Finances
Treasurer Alana Cropper presented the annual update to FHSD’s five-year forecast during the May Board of Education meeting. This document provides estimated financial projections and will adjust over time to reflect changing factors that impact the district’s finances. Click here for a detailed recap of the updated five-year forecast and links to view Treasurer Cropper’s presentation along with the official forecast.
As a result of the passage of the combination levy in May 2023, which included 1.5 mills for the permanent improvement fund, FHSD has started construction throughout the district. PI fund revenue is required by law to be spent on properties, assets or improvements with an estimated life or usefulness of five years or more, such as building updates, parking lots, new technology and more. Learn more about the updates that are taking place over summer 2024 by clicking here, and find information about the strategic planning, anticipated projects and the overall outlook of how the PI fund will have a positive impact on students on the Ongoing Projects webpage.
Other Reminders
- Community members, businesses and organizations looking to rent FHSD facilities can request space and learn more through the FMX scheduling system.
- Anyone interested in participating in the district’s digital flyer program can learn more and find requirements here.
Questions About Back-to-School Information?
If you have any questions about the above information or further questions regarding back-to-school updates, please call FHSD Central Office at (513) 231-3600.
