Board Meeting Recap for September 2023
Forest Hills School District is utilizing these articles as a way to communicate specific action taken at regular Board of Education meetings throughout the year. The Board of Education met on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at Mercer Elementary School to discuss a variety of topics relevant to students, staff and the community.
The official agenda and related attachments for this meeting can be found on the FHSD BoardDocs page here. You can watch a full recording of the meeting on YouTube here.
Special Recognitions
Fifteen students from Anderson and Turpin High Schools were recognized for achieving either commended or semifinalist status in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Anderson Principal Kyle Fender and Turpin Principal Andy Jados presented each of the students with certificates to recognize their impressive accomplishments. The Board of Education commended the following students:
National Merit Scholarship Program - Commended
- Anderson High School
- Chad Bowling
- Anna Elfers
- Carson Gearding
- Samantha Howard
- Christina Johnson
- Gianna Volpano
- Turpin High School
- Grace E. Osterlund
- James P Roberto
- Meklit M Sitotaw
- Eva A Theetge
National Merit Scholarship Program - Semifinalists
- Anderson High School:
- Jade O'Brien
- Witten Pan
- Tyler Suhre
- Turpin High School:
- Richard P Carraway
- Anjali Raman
The Board of Education also recognized the science departments of Anderson and Turpin High Schools for earning The Governor's Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research. Only 615 teachers in the entire state representing 48 schools received this honor from the Ohio Academy of Science. You can learn more and find a list of teachers here.
Superintendent Update
Forest Hills School District Superintendent Larry Hook introduced the district’s newest School Resource Officer Jeremy Dwyer. Jeremy is a longtime resident of Anderson Township, having attended Maddux Elementary School and Anderson High School.
FHSD is covering the cost of this new School Resource Officer, with Anderson Township agreeing to fund the vehicle, maintenance and other equipment costs. Anderson Township has historically funded this specialized officer since it launched the resource officer pilot program 22 years ago. Funding covers the cost of the officer plus vehicle, equipment and transportation expenses. Anderson Township contracts for its police services through the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, including these specialized positions.
Mr. Hook also offered congratulations to all the students recognized in the National Merit Scholarship Program, as well as both high schools for earning a state recognition for excellence in STEM and being ranked by U.S. News and World Report in the top 4% of all high schools in the state of Ohio. Superintendent Hook gave a special shout out to Brian Lee, Associate Principal of Turpin High School, who was nominated for the 2023-2024 Assistant Principal of the Year Award from the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators.
Forest Hills School District recently earned a five-star overall rating on the Ohio School Report Card for 2022-2023. Mr. Hook explained some of the specific achievements on the report card, which you can learn more about here.
Board Action
The Human Resources Report was presented separately from the consent agenda described below.
Human Resources
- 8.1 Human Resources Report
- The report covers a variety of topics including retirements, resignations and appointments of different staff members. You can view the report here.
The Board of Education often reviews and votes on a variety of actions that impact different departments throughout the school district. The following action items presented by department representatives were voted on together as part of the “consent agenda.” For specific information about any of the following items, you can find the meeting agenda and attachments here.
The following items in the consent agenda were approved by the Board of Education.
Business Operations
- 9.1 Resolution to Participate and Authorize the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council to Advertise and Receive Bids for School Bus Purchase
- This item allows FHSD to work with the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council to gather bids for potential school bus purchases. You can read the resolution here.
- 9.2 Payment in Lieu of Transportation (Revised)
- This resolution approves the revised Payment in Lieu of Transportation, which is an agreement by FHSD to offer payment to families with students at specific non-public schools in lieu of providing transportation for those students, as allowed under Ohio Revised Code Section 3327.01. You can view the resolution here.
Teaching and Learning/Curriculum
- 10.1 Overnight Field Trip Requests
- This item approves the overnight field trips requested by Anderson and Turpin High Schools. You can view the requested trips here.
- 10.2 Child Focus, Inc. Service Agreement - Addendum to Extension FY24
- This item approves the Second Addendum to extend the service agreement previously set forth in 2022 between Child Focus, Inc. and the Forest Hills School District from September 30, 2023, until July 31, 2024. You can view the addendum and related documents here.
- 10.3 MindPeace Memorandum of Understanding
- This item approves a partnership between FHSD and MindPeace. MindPeace is a non-profit organization focused on providing a seamless system of mental health care for children and adolescents. Their mission focus is the improvement and expansion of school based mental health services. You can read the MOU here.
Teaching and Learning/Student Services
- 11.1 Cincinnati Center for Autism
- This item approves an agreement with Cincinnati Center for Autism for Behavioral Consultation for the assignment of a BCBA/Behavior Specialist for consultation for the district at a cost of $60,400. You can read the contract services agreement here.
Treasurer Update
- 12.1 Treasurer's Report
- Treasurer Alana Cropper’s September report provided information on the following items:
- Donations
- Statement of Board Accounts
- General Fund Receipts
- General Fund Expenditures by Function
- General Fund Expenditures by Object
- Monthly Bank Statement
- Permanent Appropriations
- Permanent Improvement Fund
- Treasurer Alana Cropper’s September report provided information on the following items:
Approved Minutes
The Board of Education approved minutes for the following meetings, which you can view by clicking the link associated with each meeting. After clicking the appropriate link, you will need to then click “View Minutes” under Agenda Item Details, next to the category titled “Minutes.”
- Teaching and Learning Committee Meeting - August 7, 2023
- Regular Meeting - August 16, 2023
