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Dr. Jennifer Fee stresses safety, enrollment analysis and strategic implementation; cites bond and HVAC experience
Summary
Dr. Jennifer Fee, superintendent of Saint Joseph Public Schools, told the Forest Hills Board she would prioritize safety, investigate causes of declining enrollment, and align budgets to a strategic plan; she referenced a completed $12 million HVAC project and a proposed $98 million bond as evidence of facilities experience.
Dr. Jennifer Fee, superintendent of Saint Joseph Public Schools, outlined safety, enrollment and fiscal stability as her top priorities in an interview with the Forest Hills Board of Education on March 5.
Fee said safety must be proactive and resourced; she described work tightening emergency operations, collaborating with public safety and adding door barricades and training in prior roles. She also urged a data‑driven dive into the district’s enrollment decline — looking beyond birth rates to housing, program attraction and targeted school‑of‑choice strategies.
On budgeting, Fee said the first aim is to protect classroom instruction while prioritizing safety and pursuing revenue where possible; she noted her district completed a $12,000,000 HVAC project and is preparing a $98,000,000 bond proposal for a May ballot, describing facility assessment and community engagement as part of bond planning.
Fee emphasized transparent, timely communications — factual messaging, multiple channels (building newsletters, district social media), and a commitment to acknowledge inquiries within 24–48 hours. She described crisis communications in a recent episode involving a threat as an example of coordinated staff, student and family messaging.
On program development, Fee described a deliberate International Baccalaureate implementation that grew from a small cohort to hundreds of students through multi‑year planning, teacher training and community engagement. She also detailed approaches to equity (curriculum audits, 1:1 devices and targeted schedule changes) and to recruiting diverse staff (expanded posting outlets, diverse interview panels and authentic demonstration tasks).
Fee closed by describing her alignment with Forest Hills’ values and experience running collaborative strategic planning processes; the board thanked her and discussed next procedural steps including candidate tours and potential contract negotiations.
