Forest Hills Public Schools highlights junior kindergarten after high demand

Scott Hagen, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction, told the Ford Stills Board that junior kindergarten is designed to give younger students an extra year focused on readiness and whole‑child development.

"The last number I had in my head was a 171 students, that participated," Scott Hagen said, describing stronger‑than‑expected demand. He said the program bridges preschool and kindergarten and emphasizes social‑emotional development, fine motor skills and project‑based learning rather than mastery of kindergarten academic standards.

Kim Hennacher, director of elementary instructional services, described the program structure and curricular supports: centralized screening at the administration office and a living curriculum that district coaches update when new research warrants changes. "We are also gonna centralize screening," Hennacher said, noting the district will provide screening results to families more quickly this year to aid class placement.

Teachers who work in JK outlined a typical day: a morning 'connect and launch,' a community gathering, small‑group literacy instruction and two movement periods that build gross motor and executive function skills. Kim Fowler, the JK teacher at Thornapple, said the classroom includes a 15‑minute Word Wonders block for explicit literacy instruction.

Board members thanked staff for the presentation and asked about next‑step evaluation; staff said they will collect kindergarten‑readiness feedback next year and solicit community input to refine the program.