Forest Hills Facts
Here are some of the facts about Forest Hills,
from the current Fact Sheet:
Mission & Vision
Mission: “Building the Kingdom of God through Christian Education”
Vision: “To be a regional leader in Christian education recognized for excellence in all things - whose students are compassionate citizens and bold examples of a vibrant faith.”
Ownership and Governance
• Forest Hills Lutheran School is owned
and operated by the Westside Lutheran School Association which was established
in 1994 by eight LC-MS congregations in the western suburban area of Portland,
Oregon.
• Seven congregations presently comprise the WLSA: Bethlehem, Aloha;
Trinity, Hillsboro; Zion, Hillsboro; Our Redeemer, Tigard; Prince of Peace,
Beaverton; Mt. Olive, Forest Grove; St. Peter’s, Cornelius.
• The WLSA is administered through the Delegate Assembly which meets
several times during the year and elects a Board of Directors which meets monthly
and is served by the Executive Director/Principal who is in charge of staff
and program.
History
• Forest Hills was established and opened
its doors to 48 students in September, 1994. The buildings and campus were
formerly occupied by residents of Good Shepherd Home of the West.
• A purchase agreement with Good Shepherd was consummated in 2000.
• The school has grown to 184 students, grades K-8 in 2006.
• Full accreditation was awarded to Forest Hills by the National Lutheran
School Accreditation agency in 2003. A year later the school was accredited
by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools.
Property and Facilities
• Forest Hills is located six miles southwest
of Hillsboro, and just north of the Forest Hills Golf Course in Washington
County, Oregon.
• The school operates from a 12-acre campus next door to St. Peter’s
Lutheran Church.
• Facilities include seven major buildings, an outdoor athletic field
and covered walkways connecting the campus.
• The Dobbin Center was completed in 2002, thanks to a generous gift
by Vincent and Elaine Dobbin. This building houses a full gym, music room,
locker rooms and restrooms.
• The Main Building houses a newly-renovated library and computer lab,
offices and kindergarten classroom.
• Grades 1-4 and the Art Space are housed in the Primary Building. Grades
5-8 and a computer lab are in the Upper Grades Building.
• One classroom building is leased to the Oregon Child Development Coalition
for their Migrant Worker Head Start program. Another building houses a complete
kitchen and lunchroom. A shop and maintenance facility utilizes the former
swimming pool building.
Finances
• Forest Hills has an annual budget approaching
$1 million dollars. Financial support comes from tuition and fees paid
by parents, congregational support, individual gifts and rental income
from the leased classroom building.
• The school benefits from two endowment funds established for financial
aid and for facility maintenance respectively. Their total value is over $1
million dollars.
• The school has an LCEF mortgage debt of $300,000 owing to construction
of the Dobbin Center in 2002.
• Congregations support the enrollment of their member families with
some tuition support, awarded on a percentage basis.
• About $15,000 in financial aid was awarded to applicants for the current
school year. Annual tuition is approximately $4500 per child, grades 1-8. Average
cost per student is close to $6100 per student. Tuition rates are on the low
end in comparison to other schools in the area with similar programs.
Faculty and Staff
• Nine full-time teachers comprise the
teaching staff, with each responsible for one grade, K-8.
• All teachers hold at least a Baccalaureate degree in education. Four
hold a Master’s Degree.
• Part-time teachers assist with music, library, computers, and physical
education.
• A part-time Development Director is responsible for student recruitment
and financial development.
• The faculty salary schedule is based upon the Northwest District, LC-MS,
recommendations.
• The faculty average for years of experience is 22 years. The average
length of service to Forest Hills is about six years.
• A volunteer Grandpas Club meets weekly to assist with repairs and facility
maintenance.
Program
• The kindergarten class meets three
full days per week in the first semester and five full days in the second
semester of the year.
• Curricular materials are chosen on the basis of their proven effectiveness
and their compatibility with the philosophy of the school.
• Grades K-5 are self-contained classrooms. Grades 6-8 are departmentalized
in Language Arts, Science and Math and Social Studies.
• A varied program of elective classes are offered to grades 6-8. Students
in these grades also have choices in the fine arts area.
• Band, choir and handbells are offered to students of grades 4-8.
• Extracurricular sports include volleyball, cheerleading and basketball,
soccer and track for boys and girls of grades 5-8. The school is a member of
the Metro Christian League.
• Students of grades 3-8 are tested for achievement using the Iowa Tests
of Basic Skills. Percentile scores are reported to parents.
• Enrollment is open to all on a nondiscriminatory basis. Returning students
and members of Association congregation are given priority for openings. All
new families are interviewed by the principal.
• Hot lunches are cooked and served daily by a paid lunch staff with
assistance from parent volunteers.
• Foreign language instruction is under consideration at the present
time. The 3rd and 4th grades utilize a video Spanish program for instruction.
Family Information
• About 50% of the families are Lutheran
and members of one of the WLSA congregations. Another 25% are members of
a Christian church and 25% have no active church involvement.
• All families are asked to give 25 hours of service to the school as
part of the VIP (Very Important Participation) program.
• Parents assist in the lunchroom, library, concession stand, classrooms,
on field trips and in many other facets of the school’s program.
• 91% of the student body is Caucasian.
• Most families live in Forest Grove, Cornelius, or Hillsboro. Some live
in surrounding rural and suburban areas including Aloha and Beaverton.
• All students come to school in private vehicles or carpools.
