Superintendent Update on Ongoing District Financial Discussion

The following letter was sent by Superintendent Larry Hook to FHSD families on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 to provide an update and additional information in advance of the November Board of Education Meeting.

FHSD FINANCIAL DISCUSSION UPDATE

Forest Hills Families,

The financial state of our school district has been a top concern and focus of mine since stepping into the superintendent position this summer. I provided a detailed overview of our current situation via video and shared that message and key data points at October’s Board of Education meeting. Our financial discussions will continue at Wednesday’s Board Meeting, but I wanted to provide some additional information for families ahead that happening.

My priority is to stabilize the district’s financial situation as soon as possible and make decisions that keep the best interest of our students at the forefront. It is important that we address these pressing financial challenges quickly and set our schools up for long-term success. My recommendation to the Board, at this point in time, is to pursue a combined operating levy and permanent improvement levy in May.

I will not present an option to unify schools or otherwise change the makeup of FHSD to the Board. The decision to unify high schools must be one made by our community at large. I know this has been a sensitive topic for our community and I want to be transparent in my approach and process related to this potential plan. At Wednesday\'s Board of Education meeting, the Superintendent and Treasurer presentations will focus solely on the current financial health of the district and possible levy scenarios. 

Now that we have decided to put a pause on our assessment of the plan to unify the two high schools, we will be sharing the materials presented to the district by the interested development firm. Those will be posted sometime next week on our website on the Facilities page.

I truly appreciate the community for your interest and passion surrounding our fantastic school district. I look forward to continuing to work together in our shared mission to support students and provide them the ability to get a high-quality education. At Forest Hills, we are always committed to creating the best learning environment for our students and helping them achieve personal success each and every day.

I hope many of you stay engaged as we continue to discuss the financial future of FHSD. These are incredibly important conversations and community input is crucial to the continued success of our school district. As more information regarding a potential levy is discussed and finalized, we will post updates to our website to keep the public informed. 

Sincerely,

Larry R. Hook
Superintendent