Top Priorities

By Julie F. Bissinger

The district's second challenge is to evaluate and address the findings of the new Ohio School Report Card system, which will be fully implemented for the 2013-2014 academic year. The Report Card assesses yearly growth and achievement data for students. The district must continue its long standing level of excellence in student performance.

A third challenge is to insure that adequate funding is available to continue district wide academic excellence while living in times of decreasing state funding and flat or decreasing individual and family income levels. Because personnel costs total 82% of the district budget, we must work in a positive, productive manner with the district's three unions to devise creative solutions to control costs but at the same time keep and attract top notch employees. We need to continue to be the district where the region's top educators want to teach. We must also effectively communicate with the public about school funding challenges and solutions, with particular outreach to the approximately 75% of registered voters who do not have children attending Forest Hills schools.

I am grateful to serve on the Forest Hills Board of Education and look forward to continuing that service.