Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Forest Hills board interviews two finalists for superintendent; discusses budget, enrollment and student supports
Summary
At a March 4 special meeting, the Forest Hills Board of Education heard in-person interviews from two finalists for superintendent—Ben Kirby (Lake Orion) and Al Collins (Greenville). Candidates emphasized finances, enrollment challenges, staff recruitment, communication and mental-health supports. The board approved prior minutes by roll call before starting interviews.
The Forest Hills Board of Education held a special public meeting March 4 to interview two finalists for superintendent and to conduct routine district business. After a roll-call vote approving minutes from Feb. 2 and Feb. 13, the board heard presentations and answers from Ben Kirby, currently superintendent at Lake Orion, and Al Collins, assistant superintendent at Greenville.
Both candidates framed finances and enrollment as top, long‑term priorities. Kirby said the district’s “financial state” and falling enrollment are immediate concerns and tied fund balance pressures directly to staffing and program decisions. He described active weekly budget conversations and a three‑year forecast used during his leadership, and said ESSER funds were spent on district needs rather than banked. Collins told the board the district has lost students since 2012—“about 1,000” by his read of the data—and urged the district to study why families choose other options and to treat being the local “choice” district as an active…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
