School Structure:
The FHES faculty implements a block schedule to maximize instructional time and minimize transitions for students. Teachers use daily team planning time to coordinate, collaborate, and problem solve on behalf of our students.
About our School:
Nestled in a growing community, Forest Hill Elementary School boasts the latest technology, as we are the newest elementary school in Harford County. Our vision statement defines Forest Hill Elementary as a place where students, staff, and community members collaborate to provide a caring learning environment that fosters academic, creative, personal, and social development. We have a very active PTA organization, which sponsors open houses, new parent orientations, parent academies, fundraisers, student recognition activities, and family nights. A Teacher Assistance Center is staffed by volunteers who prepare materials for classroom use, while others work with students.
Our Student Government Association provides leadership in the areas of community involvement and student welfare. We have earned the governor’s Green School Award for environmental awareness and offer after-school clubs to extend learning opportunities. Forest Hill Elementary houses a variety of groups including Parks and Recreation, Boy and Girl Scouts, as well as adult in-service classes. We truly practice the adage it takes a whole village to raise a child.
Our School Improvement Plan focuses on maximizing student achievement. We implement a block schedule to minimize transitions, allow for daily team planning, flexible grouping, differentiation and sharing of student work. We intentionally organize cross-grade level reading buddies, daily student-led announcements, and school-wide character education program, benchmarks for quarterly review, Good News assemblies, and a wide variety of opportunities to celebrate and focus on the achievements of our staff and students. Developing a sense of family, pride and ownership in our school is very important to our community and profoundly affects the success of our students. Our motto “where caring leads to excellence” is demonstrated on a daily basis here in the home of the Retrievers.
Community Involvement:
FHES provides a variety of activities to create a learning community focused on success for all members. We intentionally organize cross grade level reading buddies, student-led daily announcements, grade level fairs, student-centered talent shows, and faculty productions to develop a sense of family and ownership in our school. Our Good News Assemblies, Character Education and Manners Program, Patriot Program, PTA Reflections Program, Speech Festival, Young Authors Conference, and Honors Breakfast provide opportunities to celebrate and focus on the achievements of our students.
Schoolwide enrichment programs support talented students through the use of interest research groups and independent projects. The staff uses regular Vertical Team meetings, Kid Talk sessions, and a variety of committees to plan, review, and evaluate many varied strategies and programs to meet the needs of all students.