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Forest Hills levy supporters urge passage Jeanne Houc Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
The Forest Hills Local School District has been plagued by controversy, but the heads of parent and teacher groups say its successes are reason for voters to approve an operating levy in November. “We chose to live in Anderson Township because of the reputation of the Forest Hills Schools, and our children are benefi ting from the educational opportunities Forest Hills provides,” said Michelle Easton, president of the Forest Hills Council, which is made up of the PTA/PTO presidents from all nine of the district’s schools. She is the parent of two students in the district. “Our children experience diverse learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. The learning environment of all of our schools is preparing our kids for real-world experiences,” Easton said. “As a community, we need to continue to invest in our kids.” Forest Hills residents will vote Nov. 5 on a 4.7-mill operating levy that would increase a homeowner’s property taxes annually by $164.50 per 100,000 of their residence’s market value. The levy would generate about $6.2 million a year for the school district from its tax base in Anderson Township and Newtown. Forest Hills Superintendent Scot Prebles says that if the levy fails in November, the school district must make $2.4 million in cuts and about 30 employees will lose their jobs. The last time residents approved an
Michelle Easton, president of the Forest Hills Council. PROVIDED
Donna Lauver, president of the Forest Hills Teachers Association. PROVIDED
Forest Hills Local Schools Superintendent Scot Prebles. PROVIDED
operating levy in Forest Hills was in 2012. In recent years, the school district has come under fi re by some for decisions made in a school buildings project funded by a $103 million bond issue approved in 2014, a new transportation center in Newtown, a sexting scandal. and the decision to continue using the Redskins as a district logo and sports team nickname. But Prebles says Forest Hills delivers a high-performance educational experience at a good price. “The Forest Hills School District’s graduation rate of 95.2 percent signifi cantly exceeds the state’s 84.1 percent (rate). More than 80 percent of Forest Hills students enroll in a university or
college within two years, again outpacing the state average of 59 percent," Prebles said. “Forest Hills students perform in the top 10 percent statewide, according to the Ohio Department of Education Performance Index, and 36 of its students were named 2019 National Merit Scholars." Prebles said Forest Hills spends less per student per year and school district residents are taxed at a lower rate than is average in Hamilton County.
strong and dedicated workforce is the backbone of Forest Hills. “Our staff is committed to the overall education of the students in the Forest Hills School District. As of August 2018, 74 percent of our teachers held master’s degrees and were ranked nationally in the top 1 percent of educators in the nation (according to the) NICHE report," Lauver said. Niche is a company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that ranks K-12 schools and colleges across the nation. It says Forest Hills is an A+ school district. The Ohio Department of Education gives the school district a B on its Ohio School Report Card.
Head of teachers' group: Staff committed to students Donna Lauver, president of the Forest Hills Teachers Association, said a
See LEVY, Page 2A
Student fabricated inappropriate touching Junior accusation against Anderson H.S. teacher newspaper carriers Madeline Mitchell Cincinnati Enquirer USA TODAY NETWORK
needed
Police are now saying that the "serious accusation" against a teacher in the Forest Hills School District was fabricated by a female student. An investigation was launched Sept. 25 after the student accused a male teacher at Anderson High School of touching her "in an inappropriate manner during a class break," according to police. The teacher in question was put on administrative leave, according to Forest Hills School District. The alleged incident was fabricated by the accuser, police announced in a release on Friday, Oct. 11 after the completion of
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A Forest Hills mechanic is suing a company that worked on the Anderson High School construction project after he fell into a broken storm drain on the job site. FILE PHOTO
the investigation. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that no criminal or inappropriate activity of any kind
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occurred. Police said the investigation into the false accusation is ongoing.
For the Postmaster: Published weekly every Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH 45202 and at additional mailing offices. ISSN 1066-7458 ❚ USPS 053-040 Postmaster: Send address change to The Bethel Journal, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 Annual subscription: Weekly Journal In-County $18.00; All other in-state and out-of-state $20.00.
Vol. 120 No. 28 © 2019 The Community Recorder
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